The death of her's
by Premade-apples
Summary: Sakura doesn't know the difference between whats real and whats a dream. Life isn't always black and white. Chapter 20 is finally up and running.
1. Prologue: Chase me if you can

**This is my first real story, It has been in my head for months, and now its out to you all. Muhahaha. Okay, um sorry bout that, a little caffine this morning. Not only that but I read shocking news this morning. All I need to say is "Major depressing. Major spoiler." Well any ways on with my story.**

**Oh, and by me saying, and its going to be now- I don't own Naruto. Thank God. (I forgot the guys name) owns this, and he's a sadistic man... I say no more.**

* * *

Prologue.

Running. I am running for my life. That much I know as my sandals clink and tap a rapid, repeating staccato beat against the wooden floors. But where am I? Who's chasing me? And, most importantly why?

I have no idea.

_Run faster. Run harder. Run from them. From him._

A strange voice echoing through my brain seems to mock me as it begs for speed with the urgency I can't comprehend. Endless demands competing with my own thoughts skitter across my brain like a dog's claws on slick linoleum.

Where am I? _Run faster._ Who's chasing me? _Run harder._ And why? _Run from him._

But no one is there. The corridor is black, skyless, deep underground. And I'm already running as fast and as hard as I can.

I suck in a breath and take in my surroundings- trying to think, to process, to find a shred of familiarity in the dark wooden beams crisscrossing the black ceiling, the mammoth fans above cut into the ceiling every few feet, expelling hot, sour air that my already burning lungs struggle to accept. It all seems so familiar and yet at the same time completely foreign. Like a déjà vu pricking at the dark recesses of your brain, or the name on the tip of your tongue- the one you always remember at 3:00 a.m., when it no longer matters.

Except, this time I think it might still matter. And 3:00 a.m. may be too late.

"Don't let her get away!"

Correction. Someone is following me. My heart slams against my chest as I realize my pursuers- whoever they might be- aren't far behind. Sweat pools in the hollow of my throat, then drips down, soaking my neck and chest. My muscles burn, my lungs refuse to take in air, I can barely swallow, and my vision has gone spotty. Soon I'll have to stop. To take a break.

But to stop is to die. That much I know. And so I keep running.

I turn a corner and my bleary eyes catch sight of a ladder in front of me, embedded firmly into the wall, a potential salvation ascending into the darkness. Where does it go? Could it lead me to the hatch my enemies seek to keep me from? To stop and check it out will eat up valuable time- time I don't have. But I have to take a chance. I can't run forever.

I throw myself against the ladder, wrapping my hands around each rung as I climb, step after step. The ground falls away, and with it the dim tunnel lighting, and soon I am engulfed in blackness.

A few seconds later I bang my head against something, almost falling off the ladder from the impact. I steady myself, then reach up with one hand, fingers exploring the ceiling until they come upon a latch. More frantic exploration reveals a handle. There's definitely some kind of trapdoor.

"Up here! Get her!"

I hear feet clanging against the floors as my pursuers start up after me. I don't have much time left. Wrapping my hand around the trapdoor handle, I yank on it with all my might. This is my one chance to escape.

It doesn't bulge.

I pound on the door, my heart exploding in my chest as I realize that I likely have precious seconds to live. Surprisingly, my life does not flash before my eyes; in fact, I'm still having difficulty any life at all. Who I am. What I do. How I got into this mess.

Run away from them, the mysterious voice in my head demands.

"Shut up," I mutter, tired of its useless advice.

The first man reaches me, paws at my feet through the darkness. "We've got her!" he cries. And indeed, it seems he has.

Not willing to give up without a fight, I slam my foot down on his hand, the heel driving into his palm. A crush of bone. A yelp of pain. I repeat the blow, then a wild kick to where I estimate his head to be, all the while clinging to the ladder for dear life. I don't miss. Knocked off balance he looses his grip, falls backward, and hurtles screaming down into blackness. A sickening thud, followed by silence, tells me he's likely met his maker below.

But his death is not enough to save me. The second guy is right behind him and much more prepared for my ally cat tactics. There's a flash of light- a crimson beam cutting through the darkness- then a sharp, icy pain spreading through my ankle, shooting through my veins at a lightning pace, reaching my toes, my fingers, my brain simultaneously. My grip loosens, my head swims, my mussels fail. At first I fear he'll just let me fall, hurtle down to my death. But my attacker grabs on and starts dragging me down the ladder.

Not good.

At the bottom, the men flip me over so I'm lying on my stomach, spread on the ground. I can't move at all, my body is Jell-O, my muscles completely useless. But I can see. I can hear, I can feel.

Three men kneel above me, armed with tools, and glowing strings, complete with gauges and lights and a really long needle. I'm not sure what the dose was, but I know for a fact that I don't want it done to me.

I can't move, and I'm numb. The glowing strings are what's holding me down. I look up to see one of the men revealing a vial of some sort. He presents the vial to the man with the syringe, who takes it and sticks the needle inside, sucking up the unidentified contents.

"Are you ready, my dear?" the man asks, his lips curled in a sneer.

While doing this, I see from the darkness, before me stood a man dressed in a black cape. He looks familiar. He's the one I've been running from.

"Please!" I beg, not thinking for one second that anything I say will make a difference, but at the same time desperate to try. "Please forgive me! Just let me go!"

The men laughed, all but one- shaking his head in mirth.

"You don't have a choice," he replies as he walks up to me. He's smaller than the others but all the more powerful, probably the most.

They grab my arm and flip me over. I watch helplessly as they stab me with the syringe, injecting silver liquid into my unwilling veins. I scream, knowing it will do no good. Knowing there's no escape.

"Your destiny was chosen for you. You will die for me, as I will for you." His voice is dark, and cryptic as he said his last words to me before I fallen into oblivion darkness.

---

"Sakura, Sakura dear! Wake up!"

* * *

**That is how I finish a chapter (prologue in my case), if you didn't understand, yeah, it was Sakura's dream. I don't want to insult anyone elses intelligence.**


	2. Somebody spoke and I went into a dream

_**Woke up, fell out of bed,  
Dragged a comb across my head  
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,  
And looking up I noticed I was late.  
Found my coat and grabbed my hat  
Made the bus in seconds flat  
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke,  
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream**_

* * *

"Sakura, Sakura dear! Wake up!" 

The voice seemed a thousand of miles away as Sakura clawed through the blackness, struggling to regain consciousness. After a few futile attempts, she managed to pry open her eyes and shake off the nightmares iron grip.

"Ah, she rejoins the living. Welcome back," her mother teased, having no idea what she's been through. Sakura's mother managed to swipe the left over laundry off the floor as she searched for something she could wear. Finally satisfied finding one of Sakura's cute top's, for her night shift duty at the bar, she hit Sakura's bottom indicating it was time to get up, sufficiently fulfilling her duty as a mother by waking her daughter, and now felt justified to go back to her own business of getting ready for the day.

Sakura rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed, taking in her surroundings, still trying to take her breath. She plopped back down on the pillow feeling the comfort of being safe again.

She was safe. She was home.

"Wow, I can't even remember since the last time I had that dream," she remarked to herself, knowing no one was around.

"Yeah?" her mother asked, for once going above and beyond. Half surprised her mother actually listened to her from across the hall.

'Why is it she can hear me from a long distance, yet at times, I'm talking strait at her, she's in her own little world.'

"Yeah. I can't remember all the details. I mean, you know how dreams are." Sakura yelled across the house for her mother's ears to hear what she had to say. Sakura began to tell her story of the dream until her mother interrupted.

"Yeah I know what you mean, but I gotta go, dinner's on the stove. Oh and you got a message from Lady Tusnade, it's on the fridge." And like that Sakura heard the door slam along with tapping shoes on the pavement, and a mystery man laughing beside her.

"Yeah, love you too mom," she said sarcastically.

Sakura knowing that dinner was on the stove, her mother wouldn't be back till dawn by tomorrow. It was expected from her and it wasn't because her mother didn't care much for her. It's just that she had better and more important priorities than taking care of Sakura. Sakura was grown, she made her own money and she knew how to be independent. She just never thought it would be so lonely while doing so.

Sakura made her way to the bathroom, turning on the shower and crossed her fingers. She had a fifty-fifty chance of actually having hot water since her mother always took it to herself for more than half an hour. She caught her reflection in the mirror and shocked to see what was on the other side.

'This dream thing was definitely affecting my looks'

Dark, puffy splotches circled her eyes. An unsightly zit had made itself at home on the tip of her nose. And of course the hair was like straw from a scarecrow. In short, she was a mess.

After her shower- there was hot water- she toweled off and headed into the kitchen to serve herself a big bowel of oatmeal. She was content with herself at the moment. She had till noon to get to the training grounds. In reality they were to meet at nine a.m., but they figured their sensei's tardiness was always the routine of being 3 hours late, so they played along with his little game without letting him know of course.

Just hopefully she could stay awake for the lecture that was soon to come before actually training. Her sleep was becoming less and less relaxing and her dreams were becoming more and more real. The thought of last nights dream was mind blowing, she felt it before and somehow she knew it was going to happen again.

The people chasing her- no it weren't necessary them she feared, it was that man. He had a force on her, he had this power on her, one that she couldn't refuse, and even more frightening was that she felt that half of her was almost willing to be taken over by him.

Lost in her thought, unaware that her breakfast was getting cold, she stared up into nothingness as another thought reached her senses.

The note.

She made her way around the table to see that indeed a yellow tab was stuck to the fridge like her mother promised would be there. Reaching out, she felt an unfamiliar shock of nerve from her hand and shooting up to the rest of her body. And in that instant, before reading, she knew something was going to go terribly wrong. Her heart skipped a beat and time had stopped for her and her breath was stuck in her lungs.

She took a deep breath and took the note and read carefully what was said.

She read it over and over and each time she read that seven word sentence, her eyes widen and her heart rate sped up increasingly. After reading it several times, she fist up her hand, crunching the note at the process. Her eyes scrunched and tears began to fall.

It was all over for her.

* * *

It's been at least thirty minutes; Sasuke got fed up of being the only one at the training grounds. Even his pink haired teammate was late today, and she is always precise when it came to having her reputation. His eyes scan the area for any movement or idea to where they were. 

Maybe they canceled today. The mere thought went through his head and thought of taking off, until he glanced at the clearing that Sakura was coming his way. Sasuke became hesitant for a moment if he should flee away or just be his usual stoic self and let her come to him. And so, he picked the later one- be normal as he can get.

Sasuke looked down- like usual. Look stoic and calm- like usual. And wait for the 'Hello Sasuke-kun'- like usual.

Three…two…one…

But the greeting never came. After waiting several seconds, he glanced up to see Sakura looking down at the river below. Did she not notice him? Then he looked at her face. It somewhat concerned him that her eyes were puffy and yet looked so…scared.

Sakura forgot her usual greeting because she was so lost in thought. Her eyes were watching and even computing parts of the scenery below as fish jumped in and out of the river, but her mind was distracted by another source of entertainment. The note.

She never realized that she stood incredibly close to Sasuke. Since the first day she had claimed to be part of team 7, her goal for that team became such a mundane one: Just get close to Sasuke. She would take every shot she could to be near him without it being too obvious. Unfortunately, the doors to those chances were hardly ever left open. Plus, it seemed like Sasuke had made it his personal goal in life to close those doors when they were.

This however, could not have been an open door that brought them here in this situation. Usually, finding those doors took effort on Sakura's part. But this time, she just happened to stumble across this, without her realizing nor taking the time to see it: An open window of opportunity.

Sasuke couldn't help but let out a grunt of displeasure. He didn't quite mind the silence, for once, coming from Sakura. But this type of silence wasn't even gratifying. In fact, it was unbearable.

Perhaps some issues were going on at home, but the thought quickly left as it came. The fact was; there was something troubling Sakura and he needed to know. If she's acting this way, so much for going on that mission Kakashi told them about. Or more like 'told him' about. Kakashi took the pleasure of going to Sasuke's house this morning explaining about escorting another ninja into the 'Lightning Country' and bring that person back here.

He knew that Kakashi was going to explain it to them, and most likely to get much needed rest considering the destination is over sea's, so whatever Sakura has her mind on, was something they didn't have time for.

Sasuke turned toward Sakura- for once being the first having to go through the greeting; a loud booming voice interrupted them both. Sasuke thanked the heavens his other teammate came at the right time, and Sakura startled to even remember where she was at the time.

"Hey Sakura-chan…Sasuke-teme," Naruto yelled in greetings- like usual.

"Oh um, He-hey Naruto," Sakura said fumbling with her words. She had the thought she was almost acting like Hinata. But the thought was enough to have a stiff giggle out of her.

Then she took notice of Sasuke being right next to her struck her. She put on the biggest smile on her face, quickly turning on her heel and finally did the regular greeting.

"Hi Sasuke-kun, how was your morning?" she asked.

Both Naruto and Sasuke looked at her questionably. Naruto for one, thought that Sakura was either slow, or blind to realize Sasuke has been standing next to her this whole time or maybe she was being cruel to him that she wanted to show how she greets Sasuke in a way that Naruto can't be greeted by her.

Sasuke was also observant as well, he believed that Sakura didn't notice him for a moment until he saw the sad smile on her face, and the fake one she presented to him.

Sasuke didn't respond but continued staring at her, slowly leaving his gaze away. While doing this, Sakura's smile slowly disappeared and looked down in shame that she may have done something to annoy him again. Then the 'deep in thought' interrupted her senses.

'It wouldn't matter anyway, he wouldn't have to put up with me anymore.'

Naruto then realized her action and immediately got upset.

"Teme, what'd you do to her this time?!"

Sasuke sighed for the n-th time for Naruto's dense conclusions. "Nothing."

"Hey, why does everyone look so glum today?" another voice was heard atop of the three.

"Hey Sensei!" Naruto yelled- once again.

Kakashi looked at his teammates and he had to say: it looked unsettling.

He knew something was up, Sakura for that matter, although he'd already figured out exactly what was troubling her. He'd done his research before assigning to accept the team and he knew it would come to this day.

"So sensei, what missions does Tunade-baa-chan have for us today?" Naruto asked casually, having his arms crisscross above his head.

"Hmm? Oh, it's a C-rank mission, just an easy escort."

Sakura looked up at him indifferently, it wasn't going to be easy at all, she knew as well as he did. And he did, he knew that there was going to be a turn of events soon to come. Naruto blabbed on about nothing to his peers- more likely how he was going to beat Sasuke and proved to be better, everyone else looked uneasy on what's to happen on this upcoming mission.

"So, I suggest you all to get some lunch and report to Lady Tunade in an hour," and like that, all was normal again. Kakashi made his typical exit. Naruto boasted. Sasuke pleased the meeting was over. All but Sakura was normal.

"Well'p I'm up for Ramen. You guy's coming?" Naruto asked, making his way to Ichiraku's.

"Hn," was all Sasuke said.

"Um, so-sorry Naruto, but um I-I got some place to be," and there went Sakura fumbling with her words again.

If Sasuke liked or not, which more likely he won't, he was going to take her to where ever she needed to be. He was beyond curious and he knew that he was acting out of character, but then again, so was she.

"Here, I'll walk you."

"Oh no, that's not necessary. I'll be fine, but thanks for the offer Sasuke-kun,"

And like that, she was gone. Silence struck the both of them. It was mind-blowing as to why Sakura had her one chance of Sasuke actually for once willing to walk with her and she completely declined the offer. All her years of wanting to be with him, all the times she infuriatingly asked Sasuke date after date, and all the times she wanted him to walk with her; The open window of opportunity was closed.

* * *

**Lyrics from The Beatles '**_**A day in the life'**_**. Don't sue.**


	3. I found myself in another room

**_I call the doctor  
a Monday morning [up in the morning  
I got [had a fever  
It was a warnin'_**

* * *

It's been more than half an hour ago and Sasuke just couldn't get her out of his mind. He had the gut feeling something was wrong with her and he debated with himself the reasons why. Sasuke's eyes seemed unfocused, seeing inward, not outward. Naruto was talking, but mostly to himself. 

"Wonder what was going on between Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan, hmm?" Naruto asked, taking a glance towards his comrade.

By the mere mention of her struck a nerve, although he'd never admit it. And it was out of the ordinary to him now, why now did it bother him to think about Sakura's problems.

Here he was thinking about it again. He was suspicious the way Sakura and Kakashi had that little moment and it seemed Naruto noticed as well.

He stared at Naruto for awhile before going back to finishing the rest of his Ramen, and the glare gave the hint to just drop the subject.

But Naruto being Naruto was oblivious to the situation. Grins cockily and face arrogant. He holds up his hands, but the gesture is one of amusement instead of letting the subject fall, "Oh what's this? Is the Teme brooding because he got rejected by Sakura-chan for once?"

Uchiha's don't brood over anything, but they certainly never get rejection either.

With a sigh at Naruto's usual stupidity, Sasuke got up and paid his lunch, "Com'mon, we gotta report to the Hokage." And with that he left, leaving a dumbstruck Naruto behind.

"But what about Sakura-chan?" Naruto yelled out to him while paying his part to the cook.

"What about her? Don't worry, we'll either meet up with her or maybe she's already there."

Sasuke moved through the throngs of people that filled the streets of the busiest part of Kohona to its capacity, for once rather inconspicuously. It wasn't hard. Everyone around him was too busy to notice he was even there, even the Fan-girls he had was in a rush to do their own thing to even know the Uchiha was even there as they moved past him, some more garish and intrusive than others.

As for Naruto, he had the trouble of getting through the crowd than Sasuke did, trying his way to get past and walk an equal pace. It wasn't out of the ordinary for people walking in and about considering it was a Saturday afternoon.

"Hey Teme, wait up!" Naruto waved as he finally made his way through, until he was surrounded by more groups of people. Sasuke turned to see him get further away from him. Sasuke didn't have time for this; they had to get to the tower in five minutes. He was about to turn away again to continue his way to the Hokage when he heard a loud shout from Naruto- something about some guy taking his belongings.

"Hey you punk, give back my wallet!" Naruto yelled at an elderly man. The man was scared out of his wits when some adolescence calling him a 'punk' and was accusing him of something he had no clue of.

"Geeze man, do you always yell at old people like that, or do you just enjoy to annoy everyone?" a voice yelled out.

Both Sasuke and Naruto turned, curious to know who this person is. Naruto yelled out at frustration- the crowd was to big to see who it was.

"Come and say that to my face!" Naruto yelled to the crowd. As they looked at him like some lunatic yelling about 'The End is Coming!'

"Why should I waste my time to come up to you, when you got the problem with me?"

'Man was this ever difficult.'

The voice was cocky and haughty, but the owner couldn't be found by the blue eyed boy.

"Who are you?" Sasuke said looking deadpan at the boy who leaned against one of the venders. He was an adolescence like themselves. He was a bit older, but he had this immature air about him like Naruto's. Yet this mystery air at the same time that competed with Sasuke's. Broad shoulders narrow and lean, trim waist; muscular chest is incased in black leather. His eyes were hidden behind mirrored sunglasses and long spiked hair in the mix of translucent platinum on top, and with black satin at the nape of his neck. It looked bizarre, but the way he held it, was a total different definition.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the new invasion as the boy smirked.

"Hirou. And you must be Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto." The man stated more than asked. "I heard a lot about you two."

"Wish I could say the same." Sasuke grinned fully aware that he was winning whatever battle the two put themselves in.

This upset the boy- by the way his hands gripped at the sides making his knuckles turning white and the little twitch at the brow, that Sasuke had no clue of, "Is that so?"

"Kashirou!" a feminine voice yelled out in a scolding attitude. "We don't have time to bull with these kids; we got a message to send."

They glimpsed up at the women talking and all went silent for them. The woman was beautiful. Even Sasuke couldn't help the sudden blush that rosed from his cheeks. Or either that, the blush appeared because of the maximum cleavage the woman possessed. She was tall, considering wearing stiletto black boots, black leather pants, and a top to go with. Her hair held a dark lavender shine, and eyes were a honey brown.

She held herself as if she was top dog of ANBU or even something even higher.

Hirou looked down in defeat but still had his pride by smiling for satisfactory of no particular reason. "You better get going, Lady Tsunade and Sakura-chan is waiting." And like that he walked side by side with the woman with the attitude, before the woman turned back at the two ogling boys and gave them a coy smile.

Naruto and Sasuke looked at the place which held the two for a moment before realizing how stupid they looked. Mouth held open and eyes bugged out. Sasuke left once again to the tower, he didn't need delays, for he was also precise when it came to having a reputation.

* * *

**_You'll soon be dust your deeds already are,  
You saw no orb no fiery bushes either,  
I must be drunk I feel unsteady,  
No monster me, sadly no saint either..._**

* * *

Even before I finished getting dressed, I had a bad feeling about the evening ahead. I didn't want to go out, but I had been summoned by Hokage, whom I know as Lady Tsunade. If I had it my way, I'd still be in my flannel jammies, mopping around about a dream. The dream was gone but not forgotten. To crank up my misery to its max, I'd be crying right about now for the way I treated Sasuke-kun moments ago. 

But Lady Tsunade noted me to meet her here after Kakashi-sensei explained of having this mission instead of training. Today though, I couldn't guess what arcane plot or secret plan lay behind Lady Tsunade's directions that she had really no say in the matter. A strange uneasiness about today hit me from the minute I reached for that note this morning, and it wasn't a threat of death or anything like that. All it said was:

_'They came for you'. _

_Hokage Tower A.S.A.P. _

As I read the instructions, an icy feeling clutched my heart. I should have trusted my instincts. They kept me alive so far- especially during the Chunin Exams at the forest of death. I should have told them I was sick. I should have stayed home where it was safe. But I didn't. I followed orders.

Then again, if I did stay home, would it of stopped the nightmares from last night repeat itself in my head?

When I arrived at the Hokage's office, my heart beat jumped a million. I pushed open the door into a blast of warm air smelling of sake. I didn't even get two steps into the area when I heard a voice from the south end of the room.

* * *

At one p.m., later than most shinobi begin their training and missions out. Now it seemed ridiculous to the two sitting in the lobby. It's already been an hour and a half, and they still hadn't seen the Hokage. They expected Kakashi to be somewhat late, but what about Sakura? She hasn't even arrived yet. Two times in a row, in one day for her. 

"What the hell is taking so long?" Naruto screamed out of impatience. And just as he said that, the doors to Hokage opened greeted by a small petite woman; a.k.a Tsunade's personal organizer and much more as Lady's apprentice, Shizune.

"Lady Tsunade wishes to see you two now." She shyly yet unnerving stated.

It was pretty obvious Lady Tsunade was giving them a serious mission, or she was completely drunk out of her mind by the tone Shizune had.

Sasuke walked in proudly- with his head down low, collective and calm, no big deal. As for Naruto, well it go's on the contrary. But the moment they stepped in, all was quiet then. It felt as a death has come to these people's senses, and death has always been unsettling.

The big surprise was the fact Sakura was already seated in a chair along with Kakashi seated behind her. They all looked unpleasant, but Sakura had the worst show from them all. Her head was held low and the dignity stripped out of her. Face pale, or paler for her case. Knuckles white. And goose bumps running throughout her arms.

It was an uneasy sight to see, not even Naruto had the balls to speak up, for he too felt the pressure of unfamiliarly bitter taste of copper mixed with the musky air enter his lungs- almost suffocating.

"I'm sorry for the delay. But please, sit down." Tsunade gestured the boys to sit next to their sensei. They sat down uncertain if it was a trap or some practical prank they all had for them. But by the looks of everyone's face, it was serious and no practical joke they were going to get, not even Kakashi was devouring into his favorite orange book.

With a sigh from the Hokage, with a determine face she looked strait at the boys seated behind Sakura. "Alright, let's get to the point. As you are all aware of, team 7 is having a C-Rank mission. An escort." She held up the document in front of her and explained carefully to what was written.

"You are to first report to Kumogakure, the land of Lightning, and they are to assist a boat, and from there, you are to go to the island of Sengakure and meet with their lord. Your mission is to take your client there and bring her back here. Nothing else. The rules are strict and that's why it was assign as a C-rank mission."

Lady Tsunade than turned to Naruto with narrowed eyes, "You 'all' need to be at your best behavior when presented to this lord. There is no talking back, no judgments to or towards them. And anything go's at their country, meaning I can not send anything for you if you are in trouble with them. They have their rights to punish any of you when it needs to be and it could come to the point of execution if necessary and there is nothing I can do about that. Usually this mission would go out as an S-rank, but considering the client, and orders from the lord, I put you all in charge. So, that's why I warn you now, follow their laws, and there would be no conflicts."

After hearing the lecture, Naruto was horrified. He had to follow some other countries rules and if he breaks them, it could lead to his death, and the dream of Hokage flies out the window. Sasuke however, put the information locked into his head, but while doing so, he was observing Sakura's reaction to all of this. The whole time, her head stayed low, and even saw the slight bit of a shiver every now and then.

"And one other thing, you are to join with two other shinobi's. They are from cloud, so they will be touring you all to their home as well to keep you all in place. I'm talking to you Naruto. They are to arrive here shortly, but they are high profession to make sure none of you do anything irrational….Naruto."

"What the hell do you mean by that Tsunade-baa-chan?!" Naruto yelled out in frustration, "And we don't need someone to put us in order."

"Naruto. Shut up." And she speaks.

It shocked Naruto and Sasuke- not that he showed it, but for Sakura to have that tone of voice, scared the bee-jeezes out of them. It was raspy and the way it sounded coming from her lips- it stung in more ways than one. It sounded like the way someone speaking for the first time out of a coma, or the way someone had just finished crying out of anger, which exactly the way its came out to be.

Naruto had the sympathetic look toward Sakura and was to ask what the problem is, but Sasuke being the observant one, knowing it was best to let Sakura be, he quick as ever jumped in to a question.

"Exactly who is our client?" he, as well as Naruto was questioning the thought of who this person may be.

Lady Tsunade raised her hand and gestured it towards,

"Haruno Sakura."

* * *

**Lyrics from New Fast Automatic Daffodils' Stockholm and from The Flamin' Groovies' Slow Death were used…Don't sue…**


	4. A weight of nobody in my hand

**I am sooooo sorrrry. I said this would be posted by Monday or Tuesday, but I got sidetracked. Totally forgot about doctor's appointment, and you know how those go. You arrive on time but you still get seen late. I thought that I'd make it to school that day so I can post this chapter, cause my computer at home is way to slow and for whatever reason isn't accepting my jump drive. And on Wednesday I was too busy with my evaluation essay. I know, I shouldn't make excuses, but it's truly the truth. I'll do my best for this not to happen again. When I say I'm going to post something on a certain date, I need to make that promise.**

**But I still love ya all, though all may hate me. Please don't though.**

**Pma.x.**

* * *

**_Oh can't you see it's the life I don't need  
Please don't make this thing up for me  
Cause that's just the way  
Cause that's just the way  
All uncovered  
That's just the way_**

* * *

"What?!" Naruto yelled out of disbelief, getting up from his chair. 

"What do you mean Sakura-chan's our client, why? Where we taking her?!" and for a moment, Naruto forgotten what was said about the missions main objectives.

Tsunade sighed, waiting for the boy to calm himself down as well as her up coming temper before she speaks again. "The lord wishes to see Sakura-san, and Team 7 is going to be escorting her to Sengakure."

"What time is my departure Lady Tsunade?" Sakura asked in a quiet voice, as if afraid to speak.

"Tomorrow at six a.m." Lady Tsunade said this in the same unison as Sakura spoke.

--------------------

My muscles in my back stiffened. My knuckles clamped together yet they still seem to be fumbling to hold the paper. My fingers trembling so badly it's hard to get the paper intact without putting it to shreds. Thinking back on it now, I forgot the reason of why I took the note with me. And my eyes seemed to loose sight every couple of seconds and I was going in a spiral direction into nothingness by the thought of leaving tomorrow.

It also seemed my actions weren't unnoticed. From behind, I felt Sasuke's intense gaze boring onto the back of my head as if trying to read my very thoughts. It was a bit disturbing, and for the first time, I didn't want to look or even acknowledge Sasuke's presence. I didn't want him near me, and I didn't want him to be concerned or even concede to think about my problems.

I knew one day it would come to this. I was told it would so long ago, but she told me to live my life at the fullest, because this is the only opportunity I'll ever get. Life's short, and so don't take it for granted. I remembered those words and they are the only thing I constantly thought about, and so, what better way could I have done that?

Live life as a shinobi.

That was first known as my ninja way. I thought that I could possibly become a ninja so I would already know the struggles of life. So I would know, to think, that I'll live my life at the fullest. Now, I'm not so sure why I chose to be all of these things. It wasn't going to change anything like I hoped it would. And my team, how could of I not known I would one day become attached to them? How was I to know that I grew to love them? How was I to know, they were to be the people I so desperately tried to avoid all my life? And in the end, how could they of been the people to walk with me till all is over?

* * *

When I arrived at the Hokage's office, my heart beat jumped a million. I pushed open the door into a blast of warm air smelling of sake. I didn't even get two steps into the area when I heard a voice from the south end of the room. 

"Shizune, where is that document!?" Tsunade's voice echoed through the walls and the flipping of pages and stumps of heavy books could be heard.

"I've got it with me right here my Lady." The sweet voice was heard after.

I elbowed my way through the stacks of books and scrolls scattered throughout the room. It was quite obvious she was still redecorating the room, but then again. It looked like she was more creating this place as an out house than an actual office.

Then my attention brought me to Kakashi-sensei seated at a chair with his favorite book at hand. When I noticed his presents, I had done the same to him and our eyes met- or more of his one eye met my two, and there was a silent understanding to each other. To what it is, I'm not quite sure.

It was the same feeling when I saw him at the training grounds. We had a distance, yet a connection of agreement to not talk of this subject, at least not until I give the say.

The fact of the matter though was that neither one of us wanted to be here. But we were already here and there was no going back.

"Lady Tsunade? You wished to see me?" I asked, trying my way of sounding more confident than a scared little child being caught in the cookie jar at some strangers house.

"Ah Sakura-san, I was wondering when you would get here. On the note I did say to be here A.S.A.P. didn't I?" she said flatly, turning her attention to Kakashi-sensei as if it was his fault for my tardiness.

The slightly built, pouting women barely gave me an assuring look that she was somewhat disappointed. Every time I saw Lady Tsunade, she always had a different façade on, but today, she was looking quite sulky; right about now, I felt she was a great black hole that drained the energy right out of me with her negativity attitude. Other times she just unknowingly secretly pissed me off at the end of the day when it no longer matters anymore.

To some extent reminds me of someone I know.

Then there are the times when she could be sweet and brassy at the same time, the type of person I wished replaced my constant non present mother.

"Take a seat." I did as I was told.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Is there something you need from me Lady Tsunade?" as if I didn't exactly know what was going on or why I was summoned here. At this time, Kakashi-sensei raised his head out of the book and eye directed at me.

They knew, they saw past my façade, my way of masking my fear by showing pure curiosity. And in return, Lady Tsunade has done the same. Masking an irregular face with eyebrow hitched up, and mouth slightly gawked. But past that, I saw sympathy. Her eyes showed it all. Eyes telling me that it was okay to play stupid for the moment. One that I'm particularly not fond with. I did have a reputation to follow after all.

All façades were gone and now it was time to get to the point.

"Sakura." She started without using any respects or suffix after my name. Her voice was whimpered, most likely for my stupidity of pretending to not knowing my purposes here.

"You as well as I know why I called you in here. They, meaning the Tokubetsu Jonin's, are here to make sure you go back to your village to meet with your Lord."

I looked down with shame, knowing that she was referring that I had no legal citizenship onto this country that I've now called my home. My village. Representing for my Hokage as my Lord. It was futile. I didn't have to represent the Fire Country. I didn't have to wear the symbol of the Leaf Village. I didn't have to work so hard to get the respects of a konichi. All this was for nothing but my own selfishness of the hopes of not coming to this day.

"Look Sakura, The Third left me with this certain document and that this assignment should be continued on. I called you in here so you can be aware that this day has come, but I also called you in so I can get the consent if you really want to do this or not."

This had surprised me, now was the time of curiosity. My eyes directed towards her to know if I'm hearing right. "What do you mean Lady Tsunade?"

"It's really up to you if you want to go or not. You live here in the Leaf Village, and it's my job to protect all of you from harm. That's including you Sakura-san. If you want, I can stop you from going, and I can decline this mission."

"But wouldn't that conflict a war against us? If you don't send me, they will haunt me down."

"I won't allow that. You would be guarded 24/7 and-"

"But what good will that do!?" I yelled out interrupting her. "To be held prisoner for the rest of my life!? My life watched till the end!? The Cloud Country just finished war against us and now one of our greatest allies. They trust us and by doing this, it's going to cause an up roar all over again. I'm sorry Lady Tsunade, I don't mean to be rude, but 'your' idea of 'me' being safe….It's foolish. I'd rather face them and be humiliated than being held prisoner by the country I so dearly love."

I was surprised that I raised my voice to Lady Tsunade, even she wasn't expecting such a blunt statement coming from someone like me. And Kakashi-sensei, without him saying a word- he couldn't speak for my behalf anyways, forgot he even had the book in his hands, and all was heard was the drop of the book and my ragged breathing.

My actions were stupid but not regretful. And the moment my inner-self came out, just as quickly went back in as I shied away to a softer voice.

"Besides, you're wrong. There is nothing I can do about this; neither I nor even you have any say on it. This is my fate. I was born to do this from the start."

I was afraid. I was afraid for my life and she knew. I feared her, but she knew that the fear for her was nothing compared for the fear I'll have the moment this mission takes action.

"Lady Tsunade?" Kakashi-sensei spoke. It wasn't a question for a question so much for as an 'are you okay' kind.

With a heavy sigh, she looked down to the document in front of her and had a half hearty smile. But a sad one at the least.

"I know. I'm sorry Sakura-san. I don't want to do this, but you're right…. Still, it doesn't mean that it isn't wrong."

"Lady Tsunade, the boy's have been waiting for almost an hour." Shizune-san interrupted.

Silence.

A sigh coming from the three of us seated, "Let them in then."

* * *

The four of them left the building riding on an adrenaline high. Team 7 had a mission. They had a purpose. They stood on the sidewalk and looked at each other. It was well into the hour of the streets clearing as the sun began to set and the first star began to appear. The wide avenue was quiet except for a stray dog begging and whimpering for the left over strap of meat a chef cook decided to throw away. An icy coating on everything reflected the vender lights and shop windows. It was signs winter was soon to come. 

"So now what?" Naruto spoke up, perky as always. "Do we wait for the two new comers to show up, or do we meet them tomorrow?"

"Didn't you pay attention?" Kakashi said with his nose inside the book, so it was slightly muttered, yet toned insensible. He stood a few feet distant from the three of them….with them, but true to his melancholy, negligent, misanthropic nature, wary of too much bonhomie.

"We meet up with them tomorrow morning dobe." Sasuke as ever brooding and also being true to his melancholy nature.

"Oh really?" a whining voice was heard in the distance, "But we were really planning to be acquainted tonight."

The four looked up to see the owner of the voice belonged to. Naruto however, couldn't mistake that voice coming from a certain boy.

"HEY, IT'S YOU!"

* * *

**Okay, that was the end of the chapter. Sorta short, but I have this story in an order with the plots. Duh.**

**Oh and I want to thank you all for the reviews and more is welcomed.**

**I would also like to thank 'Nameless Blossom' (cute name) for her never ending questions during review. Though all questions can't be answered, maybe some, its all good. I love 'em **

**Lyrics from Watchmen 'All Uncovered'. Don't sue.**


	5. Meet John Joe and Plain Jane

**Okay, how can I say this? It's overwhelming to (or going to) see the next Naruto on Television. I knew this day would come- thanx to the spoilers of so many spoilers I know about. Reason's on why I called the author a sadistic, very sadistic man on the 1st chapter of my intro. Depressing.**

**Now then, I will tell you this now, since I haven't sooner, this is during the time right before and I literary mean right before the previous episode where team 7 went to tea country. It fits in the plot somehow, of course in my own imagination if I did own Naruto, which somehow I thank god I didn't, cause if I did, it would be a little more, well it won't be necessary for the young, more adult swim. And more romance than adventure if anything else.**

**Okay on with my story, now shall we.**

* * *

**_My head falls backs_**

**_And the walls crash down_**

**_And the sky_**

**_And the impossible_**

**_Explode_**

**_Held for one moment I remember a song_**

**_An impression of sound_**

**_Then everything is gone_**

**_Forever_**

**_A strange day..._**

* * *

That voice. That voice struck her. It was deviant, mysterious, and comforting all at the same time. It held a rich and warming taste to it, almost like caramel inside dark chocolate. Hearing that voice made her feel tense, a rampant pulse beating through her veins. 

Sakura couldn't bear it any longer, she had to make sure. She turned. He was there, as she suspected. She knew he was there, knew he had come. She watched him, as still as darkness.

Long moments passed as they stood silently, not even Naruto's gasping sounds of acknowledgement of the boy's existence was heard between them. She felt the thunder of her own heart growing louder. Felt the heat of him, as if she moved closer even when he did not. A dozen insane things to say swept through her mind; none came to her lips.

In the end, she was never sure if she walked or ran to him, but the distance was gone.

"Kashirou, you came back." She whispered and holding him for dear life itself.

He took her in his arms, and felt as if life and fire swept through him. He lifted her chin and felt the fierce trembling in his own limbs, and in hers. He smiled brilliantly to see the girl in his arms at last.

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" he said in the same monotone as before.

She couldn't help but smile back at him and her grip on him tightened even more.

This scene however, didn't go unnoticed by the brooding Uchiha, the outraged Uzumaki, and the amused Sensei.

"Hey, you're that punk!" Naruto stating the obvious, "What'd you think you're doing, groping Sakura-chan like that!?"

Kashirou arched a brow, one similar to Sasuke's.

At this, Sakura flustered with the many thoughts of torture she was going to do to her poor blond teammate.

"How can you let him do that to you? That's disgusting, if you're to do that, go get a room or something, but Sakura-chan, your too young to even do that kind of stuff and he's too old for you! Geeze what a pervert" he turned to Kakashi and Sasuke, a look of enthusiasm on his face. "Are you two seeing this?"

Sakura couldn't take it anymore. She was ready to pound that boy senselessly. But to everyone's surprise, someone else beat her to it. With Naruto on the floor and tears in his eyes along with the several bumps on his head, he thought it was best to stay quiet. And the satisfied Sasuke rubbing his soon to be swollen knuckles thought it was best to be ready for giving another pounding, if any case Naruto opens his big mouth up over such a particular issue is brought up again.

"Hirou as I recall, correct?" Sasuke spoke, "Are you one of the Jonin's that's going to be joining us on this mission?"

Sasuke was right on target.

A devious grin was in sight for Sasuke to see, one that he wished he hadn't. A tally mark written in his thought that Hirou was now tied in this secret senseless battle between the two.

He released the grip he had on Sakura and politely bowed at the three before him as his way of greetings.

"I am Udono Kashirou. But for short, it's just Hirou. And yes, my mission is to make sure to get Sakura-chan to cloud and as well as to keep you in order," He said with his eyes directed back at Sasuke.

And for some eerie way, it jeered Sasuke that there was something not right about this boy. He had an air about him, a suffocating air that would eventually slowly eat away the lungs right out of you. He was an opponent that Sasuke never been put up against, besides his brother, but nonetheless, he was someone he needed to watch out for.

"Ah. So where is your comrade?" Kakashi asked with his nose still in the book.

Hirou shrugged not bothering to go deep into the subject.

"How the hell I know where the broad went off to. She's probably mooching off some poor bastards money or self dignity right about now."

"You shouldn't say that about her Kashirou," Sakura playfully slapped him on the arm.

"Why not? You know as well as I do that its true-"

He couldn't finish his sentence by the slight alarm of a rock hurled strait to his head knocking him off his feet. Considering him being on the floor, Sakura knew who that person may be.

"You're such an idiotic asshole," a feminine voice was heard in the darkness.

Sakura's heart fluttered for an instant as the rest of her body frozen below zero. Hearing one familiar voice was enough for her to feel like putty outdoors in hot temperatures, but hearing another- it was just unreal. Now this had to be the real dream, other than the one she had last night.

All turned at the person who had thrown the rock that had such a sensual light hearted vocal, even Kakashi's curiosity got the better of him.

Mouth a gaped and face flushed, they couldn't believe what they were seeing. As for Naruto and Sasuke, it was déjà vu all over again. They felt as if they were fish being toyed with by fishermen, and it was stupid for them to be constantly stuck by their bait. Right about now, they wished to ask their sensei where he brought his half-mask so they can cover their humility by the way they looked just right about now.

As if reading their thoughts, "Tsk. You three look like a couple of fish-faces over there." Kashirou humph by his very own humility of not keeping his guard up.

Mumbling incoherent words, Kashirou gotten up from the floor and dusted himself off, "Hey Maya-chan, what the hell's your problem?!"

Ignoring his question, Maya walked up to a stunned Sakura and ruffled her hair- not saying a word, walked past her to look deadpan to the taller ninja. By her face mere inches from his own, he was curious to know exactly who this woman may possibly be with his eyebrow hitched up and face tilted back. As for her own, her face pleasant and coy, like a predator cornering it's pray.

"You must be Hatake Kakashi, the oh so famous copy ninja I heard so much about." She said in such a sultry voice.

"I am." Kakashi stepped back some for his own personal space before he'd fall off balance as well as his dignity, "And you must be?"

"Hiashi Maya. I don't seem to need to make an introduction since my comrade over there has already done so."

"Hey it's you!" once again stating the obvious, "You're gonna escort Sakura-chan too!?"

Finally realizing more of the group was present, Maya turned to the booming voice. Facing a blond headed, blue eyed, blabber mouth- Maya couldn't help the unlady like grunt, "Why, aren't you the adorable one?"

Walking up to him, she bent down, with fingers griping his chin; she feathered her lips against his own. He was too shocked to do or say anything as well as everyone else. She then put her lips to his ear and whispered something no one else can hear but him to only know- by the way his eyes widen a fraction of complete horror.

Naruto realizing the close intimacy to this older woman, he shook his head to clear the perverted thought she had put in his thoughts and the red flush from his face, he jumped back some distance away from the woman. He was pointing an accusing finger towards her and was to say something back until she arched a brow- as if daring him to say it.

His mouth fell open, but neither words nor noise was formed and face was once again flushed of embarrassment.

"Told you she takes the dignity right out of ya" Kashirou mumbled to no one in particular, but it was something that Sasuke and Kakashi took note of to watch this woman's moves and way's carefully.

Maya turned toward Kashirou and rolled her eyes, but not bothering to keep this subject going. Then her focus turned to the pink headed girl standing next to him. Maya's coy smile turned into a smile of pure happiness.

The said girl looked up to meet Maya's gaze and couldn't help but return the gesture, and nothing could come out of her mouth but the simple name that gave Sakura so much meaning.

* * *

**HA! I'm evil.**

**I left a cliffy hanger.**

**But I still love ya'll **

**pma.x.**

**Lyrics used from The Cure's _A strange day_ ****. Don't sue, please**


	6. Wednesday Girl

**Um... sorry, no song lyrics here.**

* * *

I stole a look at the clock. I really needed to get out of here, so I finished stuffing the required things for such a mission into my backpack as I mumbled about why such a dream kept coming back. That dream, it came back again, so my sleep was restless and waking up in the middle of the night really didn't help either or perhaps I'm just restless about this mission. Explains why I woke up so late and I'm rushing to get out of the house. It occurred to me to carry extra cash in case I got a chance to buy anything for Sasuke-kun and Naruto, and maybe even Kakashi-sensei.

Besides, I want them to remember me by something special.

I went over to the drawer, and pulled out a stash of dollar bills- not knowing exactly how much, but it was enough, from under my undergarments I seem to believe was too fancy and too flashy to ever use. It's kind of amusing at the thought of me ever wearing them. For such silky and lacy expensive underpants, of such bold and even some bright colors, for me ever wearing them was comical. Don't even know why I bought the things.

Lost in my own thought and unaware of me holding the black silky underpants with the cute little pub-angel throwing an F-you finger up for all the glory to see, I didn't catch any signs of anyone in the room. Unaware that any peeping toms would get kind of excitement out of this, coming from their view.

"You need to let me borrow those sometime." The voice said from behind.

I knew that voice and it didn't surprise me to hear it. After all, she seemed to be the type to pop out of nowhere anytime she pleased, and sometimes uninvited- it was her error to always do that. I could feel her eyes boring into my back watching my every move while I stuffed the money into my bag and tossed the underpants behind knowing she would most likely catch.

"So, exactly what was it that you've told Naruto yesterday?" I asked, ignoring her stare.

"It's a secret." She said in her usual sultry yet innocent voice she seemed to possess.

I smiled then. It was so typical of an answer. I knowing I wouldn't get anymore out of her.

"Whatever," I retort; I wasn't planning to keep this type of conversation alive because I couldn't care less what she told Naruto, it was not my business. Besides, that wasn't the question I was planning to ask her. I wanted to get to the point, and as if she was reading my thoughts, she beaten me to it.

"I've heard that you did perfect score during the chunin's writing exam. What I heard from Ibiki-sama, you were the only one who didn't cheat and got every question right, that you reached above the standards." She said as a disappointing tone, and it somewhat hurt my pride. I hoped she would have been proud of me.

"Did you want me to cheat?"

"No. But you could have at least missed one question. Can you at least act normal for a little while?" she asked, and though I couldn't quite see her, I knew she crossed her arms below her chest- acting so childishly.

Yeah, she's one to speak about being normal.

She was right about one thing though, it may be abnormal for someone like me to reach such high achievements, but then again, that's my very own signature, it was the way I could stand out from the rest of the ninja's. Probably reasons why she seemed to be a slight disappointed.

"I heard Tsunade-chan was giving you the opportunity to make up your mind about this mission as well. Is it true?"

"Whatever you heard from whoever you heard it from," I said, sidestepping her question as much as possible, "Its gotta have some truth to it."

I turned around and faced her.

Maya-chan was perched on the edge of my bed with my underpants clutched to her fingers. I could tell she was shocked to what I said- though she never shows it. She remembers that phrase; she's the one who gave me that quote after all. It's been so long ago now that I think about it.

"I agree with her you know." She said and ending the conversation without enlightening me further. It didn't matter though, what she thinks, it didn't matter what Lady Tsunade thinks, and it certainly didn't matter what I think about it. I was going on this mission because it's something I had to do, it was an order from the lord of Sengakure, and it was something that I need to do, at least for my own sake. For once I needed to be selfish.

I removed a black sweater with a pink butterfly imprinted on the back from the closet. Added with a matching scarf to keep me warm in the exceptionally cold weather.

As I put the sweater over my head, I noticed that something caught Maya-chan's eye. She was looking at the white robe with the symbol of a burning flame embedded on the back. Her eyes soften for the moment as she reached out to touch the fabric as if it was something new to her to see and to feel.

"You kept it clean. I appreciate that." She said a little above a whisper.

I smiled at this- though it was sad, "Of course," I turned to look at her, "It's the only thing to remind me of him."

Her face dropped but the smile was still visible. This was a very touchy subject for her, to talk about him, I knew. She went through hell and back again because of it, and she dragged me along for the ride.

Maya-chan got up and headed her way out the door, "We gotta go, don't want to be late," she said.

I said nothing as I followed her out but not before looking back at the room for one last time.

-----------

Emerging into the kitchen, Maya sidestepped towards the refrigerator hopping to get something to eat before the trip. As she opened the fridge her face dropped not surprised to see what was inside.

Nothing.

"It's so typical of your supposed mother to not go grocery shopping," Maya said from behind her, not bothering to see Sakura.

"There is diner on the stove," Sakura said a bit amused to see cold left over Chinese take out on the counter. But by the looks of it, the food could have been over a week old.

Sakura hardly ate at home now since Naruto is always inviting her to Ichiraku's, and the times she did eat at home, she made sure to buy the food first since the fridge was always empty.

"Hey Sakura-chan?" Maya said as she turned to face her. A worried look on her expression, "Is she…well, treating you okay?"

Sakura looked puzzled at this until she realized who she was talking about, "Oh mother, yeah. I mean, I guess so,"

"But is she taking care of you, she's not hurting you in any way, is she?"

"Nah, its fine. I can take care of myself," Sakura then gave her the look of reassurance, "You know mother though, always wanting to be hip with the latest fashions. Thinks she could go party out like a teenager."

"But she's unaware that she has a teenager herself."

Sakura smirked at this. Sure her mother was still young and she was younger than most moms' for Sakura's age group. And Sakura even admitted that for her mother being at the age of only twenty eight, she was beautiful and looking as if she was the same age as Maya of only being twenty two. Still, the woman was irresponsible, and didn't give a flying hoot about Sakura's well being. She couldn't even make it too Sakura's graduation at the academy and the reasons were that she was just too busy and she was trying to work out a down hill relationship with her boyfriend at the time- who happened to be four years younger than her mother.

"Do you think she would notice that you're going to be gone?" Maya asked.

Sakura smiled sadly as she looked down and slowly swayed her head indicating it as a 'no'.

"Are you mad?"

Sakura repeated the process of swaying her head before she looked up plastering a fake smile to her lips, "I'll be alright." She said half hearty.

It pained Maya to see Sakura like this. She knew that Sakura was hurting inside. But Sakura was always the brave one- A quality Maya always envied. She hated the fact that Sakura had to play pretend to everyone, play pretend that she was truly happy, play pretend that she was living with content, but it was something she had to, she needed to do.

And it was exactly 'that' what scared her.

* * *

Sasuke looked to the distance as he walked the path to the Kohana gates- known as their second meeting place, only the time of a mission. He already saw a figure and was relieved to see it was Sakura already there, but he was still a bit concerned if she was feeling better than yesterday. Yesterday she was drifting off, and she was definitely not herself.

As he got closer, he had a sense of an electric shock filling him as he realized she was not alone. That boy, Hirou, stood very close to her, and for some inapplicable way, it unnerved him. Eyebrow twitching and eyes closed trying to meditate before he got the headache of this boy's presents. As for the woman, she seemed to be flirting with the guard at the gates. His face was red as a tomato, limbs a bit shaky, and even at Sasuke's distance, he saw the full salute at the lower of his belly.

She was a real mystery as well. Though it was never his business, he was slightly curious onto exactly what she said to Naruto to make him get that kind of reaction he had. He was even more curious of what particular relationship they had with Sakura. It was pretty obvious they knew each other from the past, but the way they are with each other, it seemed that they were pretty close, yet not once did Sakura ever speak about them.

"Ah Uchiha, its good for you to come." Kashirou said with a devious smirk.

"Ah Sasuke-kun! Good morning!"

Sasuke relaxed a little- unaware he was even tense in the first place. He was relieved to know Sakura was being Sakura again, or at least he thought. Sakura smiled at him, but it wasn't the normal one she gave only to him. It was forced. It was painful. It was sad.

It was until Sasuke got a better view of Sakura his face scrunched up a bit, at the fakeness she presented to him. His thought concluded that it was probably this mission they were up against, so partly, he couldn't blame her. This mission unnerved him as well.

Sakura saw the look on his face- the way he scrunched up his face like that, he looked disgusted at her. She looked down in shame.

'Once again, I managed to get on Sasuke-kun's last nerve.'

Kashirou took note of this. It was quite obvious that this relationship was an unrequited love. Too bad for Sakura, but it was really Sasuke he pitied for. How can he refuse this type of chance to be with this cherry blossom, and the fact that Sasuke was running out of time.

It was time that neither of them had. It was even affecting himself. His time with Sakura was limited, and he needed every chance he had to be with her.

Sneaking his hand at her lower back, he pulled her in closer and looked down at her shocked expression. He presented her a reassuring smile that it was going to be okay, that he was going to be there for her. And to this she smiled brightly at him.

"Sakura, where's Naruto?" Sasuke asked with his teeth grinding and hands clutched while he gave the glares that could kill towards Kashirou.

"Oh, you know him. He's always running a bit late. Always wanting to make a big entrance." She chuckled, forgetting about Sasuke's earlier expression. She was a bit lost in thought at the many memories of Naruto's slip-ups. One in particular was when he took his entrance at the chunin's final exams.

Smiling at the memory- lost in thought doing so, she didn't notice Sasuke's calm demeanor, to know that she was smiling again. Eyes going soft, and couldn't help but the slight twitching nerve at the side of his mouth lift up.

But still true to his scowling attitude, he fixed that smile into a serious thin lined mouth. Luckily it went unnoticed. Other thoughts plagued his mind though. The fact that this mission had to do with Sakura was mysterious. How these two clowns knew so much more than they have about Sakura- and let alone that they were a mystery to Sasuke themselves.

Sasuke was going to ask those very thoughts to the boy that stood remarkably so close to his pink haired teammate- which he didn't like, until a puff of smoke appeared right next to him.

"Hey." Kakashi said as he looked deadpan on Sakura.

Sasuke and Sakura looked at complete shock to see Kakashi there. To both Sakura and Sasuke, they knew that two things weren't right about this scene in front of them.

One: Their very own Sensei was early for a change.

And two: His face wasn't covered by the orange book; actually it didn't seem he had it at all.

It was the routine that Kakashi would be three hours late for training and half and hour to forty-five minutes late for a mission, it kind of depended what kind of mission it was though. So considering that he was a little earlier than the time they were suppose to meet. Then the fact he didn't have his book or the pouch he always kept it in wasn't there. Then this meant that this couldn't be good.

"So, are we ready to go then?" he asked heading towards the gates.

"No, Naruto isn't here yet." Sakura said.

"Oh what a shame," Kakashi sighed, "Guess I'm going to have to lecture to him about being prompt huh?

Sasuke and Sakura looked at him skeptically to what he was saying. Such a hypocrite.

"Hey Sakura-chan!" Speak of the devil. Naruto jogged over to where he saw his teammates along with the two new comers of Kohana. Unaware that their Sensei was there before him.

"Morning Sakura-chan, Sasuke-teme." He said without skipping a beat with the enthusiasm written across his face. It must be the mission getting him excited.

"Hey Naruto," Sakura said as she waved to him.

Taking notice at the new arrival, Maya turned towards the group to see all of them already there. Leaving the dumbstruck guard, she walked over to the team waving her hand in Naruto's general direction. Naruto however, waved shyly with the already rising blush coming to his cheeks before swiftly turning around to hide his embarrassment.

"Hey Naruto, you shouldn't be so rude to our guest." Kakashi whispered into his ear and keeping his eye on the woman before them.

"Yeah, but look at her Kakashi-sensei, she's…well…-" Naruto whispering back with slight stutter, before he stopped himself at the new discovery, "You're here Kakashi-sensei!"

"Idiot," Kashirou mumbled, but still comprehendible for the others as they sighed and nodded with agreement.

Sasuke and Sakura couldn't blame him however, it wasn't everyday to see their sensei to actually be on time. Sakura actually betted to herself that the time she'll see the pink pig in the sky, then it was the chance Kakashi would actually be early for a change. However, she quickly delayed that bet when she met Lady Tsunade's pig, ton ton, that he could actually glide from tree to tree like a shinobi. Though he wasn't actually flying, he sure as hell was in the sky. So Sakura put her hopes up that one day their sensei would be there on time, she just didn't think it would happen so soon.

It could be a bad omen?

"So are we ready now?" Sakura asked, evident that she was trying her best to have the same optimistic attitude as Naruto had.

'Her perfect mask is breaking, and it's breaking fast,' Maya thought. She could even see it in Sasuke that he knows about this as well. She saw the slight glare of suspicion written across his face, and it worried her that he might have the strength to really peal that mask off himself. He's going to find out; all of them will eventually, she knew that. It's going to happen, that's why Sakura's and Maya's lord required her team to be there. But whatever happens,

'He can't get involved; he needs to stay out of the way. For Sakura-chan's sake.'

"Yeah Sakura-chan, can't wait," Naruto said while he walked from the rest of the group awaiting for the guard to hurry up and open the gates instead of looking Maya's way and giving her a lusty stare. And Maya giving the gesture back.

Kakashi noticing this, he raised his eye brow at the scene and was a bit curious onto what this woman's game was. Whatever it was thought with this woman, it sure as hell entertained him, reason's why he had no need for his book, all the action was happening right there in front of him, and he knew that during this trip to Cloud country, he was sure that lot's of drama was going to happen. He, considering having a team that has a smart mouth white haired boy that couldn't keep his hands off a distressed cherry blossom, not noticing a jealous Uchiha- which happens to be the affections of her heart. A brassy woman that can't help but to tease and to tease an embarrassed obnoxious knuckle headed ninja.

Kakashi waited on the side lines and was just patient enough to get his part of this story. Really, he was a bit nervous to know what was in store for him coming from this woman.

"Hey Uzumaki," Kashirou yelled out.

Naruto turned back curious to know what he wanted from him, until a small object was hurling towards him and Naruto fumbling to catch it in his hands. When he stabilizes the object, he noticed to see it was his green little frog wallet.

"Next time, you wouldn't be thit lucky. If you had something worth taking, then you have every right to get mad at me." Kashirou remarked as he stepped past him, unaware of the glares he was receiving from the two boys.

Though it wasn't Sasuke's battle this time, he felt that Hirou had somehow snuck his way to getting that point of victory. Then another as he walked step-by-step next to Sakura.

Sasuke was loosing this battle.

* * *

**You can't sue me for shit! Ha!**


	7. Watch me as I play my toneless song

**Well, that's it. I hate Sasuke but yet can't be blamed. I thought it was a good idea to continue writing this Chapter but it only got worse. That episode last Saturday was too depressing and hatefully...can't describe it but the pain is there.**

* * *

**_Have you run your fingers down the wall  
And have you felt your neck skin crawl  
When youre searching for the light?  
Sometimes when youre scared to take a look  
At the corner of the room  
Youve sensed that somethings watching you_**

* * *

Sakura listened to the music, the cool soft folk tones. She had closed her eyes, and despite the voices, the scraping of chairs and clinking of glasses, she could filter everything else out and hear the music. She wished she could just give way to it, forget the day's event, forget this mission and her upcoming greetings to the lord- even the good friends accompanying her for this assignment.

They left so early in the morning, she couldn't comprehend what the bickering with Naruto and Kashirou was all about. And though it wasn't expressed, it was noticed that the fact Sasuke kept close to her- though he didn't make it obvious to the others. What was noticed, his gaze kept straying over to Kashirou, who was at her opposite side- who also was exceptionally close to her as well. As for Naruto, throughout the beginning of the trip, he'd walked in front of her walking backwards to keep whatever conversation he struck up. She couldn't focus on the chat, for her mind kept wandering off into deep thought, but nod her head anyways as if she was listening. It was quite flattering for her to have three of the most important boys in her life to pay all of their attention on her, but throughout the day, it just wasn't in for her.

She wanted peace from everything.

They still weren't even close to the borders of the fire country, but they were making good process, they were definitely covering much ground. And maybe the thought of being at the lightning country earlier than expected. It took them the day to finally reach Hokuto village, it was one of the smallest villages in the fire country, and it held the majority of farm lands growing sunflowers. But nonetheless, it was serene, just what Sakura needed.

Tonight, for a few minutes, closing her eyes, she was alone. All she could feel was the music, as if it entered her body and soul, and soothed her.

Yet even as she listened to the music, savoring the feeling of calm, a sense that all was not well startled her. She opened her eyes and looked around, plagued by a sudden and yet very disturbing feeling that she was being watched.

"Hey Sakura-chan, did you hear me?" Naruto asked, nudging Sakura.

"I'm sorry. What?"

"Where are you gonna sleep tonight," Naruto said, "cause we could only afford two rooms and all, and I was wondering if you would like to share the room with me."

Forgetting the eerie feelings, Sakura couldn't help but actually laugh at Naruto's dim-wittedness as she looked across the table at Maya.

"Please tell me he's joking." Kashirou asked haughty.

"I think it's a great idea. Why don't you three share a room," Maya suggested, gesturing it to Naruto and Sasuke, "and your sensei could sleep with me…well I mean me and Kashirou of course."

They all looked a little baffled at the slight mistaking statement Maya had said, except Kashirou as he thought of her ridiculous behavior.

"You did that on purpose Maya!" he barked.

Sasuke looked to his side of the table and took the moment to have a grin across his face because he wasn't sure if Kashirou was mad and irritated at the fact Maya was purposefully trying to get to Kakashi like the way she'd done to Naruto, or the fact it was the better idea of having Kashirou away from Sakura, either way, Sasuke could add that tally mark to his side of the board.

"I'm sorry Hirou-kun, but it's for the best." Maya said in a sing-song tone before taking the sushi onto her chopsticks, "Besides, the last time I left you two in a room by yourselves, you couldn't concentrate on that mission the day after. It was like having a dead log as my partner, I've might as well have done that mission by myself."

At this, Sakura's face raised to a soft pink matching her hair color at such a memory.

"And what was it you two were doing in that room anyways?" Maya continued. This time it was Kashirou whose cheeks turned to a light blush and Sakura's turned even brighter.

It was a serious curious question, coming from Maya, who tended to be far more humorous and spent her time dealing with problems- she created in the parishes, of the women envying and disgusted of her appearance, not to mention, Maya always knowing how to take their men away from them without so much as lifting a finger and without any vocal seductions coming from her. Just the simple sway of the hips, eye contact, and exceedingly high confidence, she's got those men hooked and under her control.

"Well um…it was nothing really, it was well, it was stupid in fact, we were just…Hey! Why don't you tell her Sakura-chan? Hey Sakura-chan-- are you with us?" Kashirou asked waving his hand in front of her face trying to get her attention.

Sakura startled; she had been looking around, certain she would find someone watching her. But no one seemed the least bit interested in her or her table. Maybe it was just the odd restlessness that had settled over her before she had even reached this restaurant tonight, a restlessness she hadn't been quite able to understand.

"Um…it really was stupid." Sakura said, forcing her attention back to the conversation. "Um, I'm sorry; I'm going to retire early, so if you don't mind, I'll be heading back to the inn." She got up from her chair and scooted it back in, and bowed in respects, "Oh yeah, I'll be taking the room 317, okay?" she smiled and with that said and done she left.

As she moved across the room, she winced, wondering at the impatience she was feeling. It was as if she needed to be somewhere, do something, but she had no idea where or what. Maybe she was on edge about heading to Sengakure. She was considered to ask the others if they had been seized by any strange feelings, if they felt that eyes were secretively scrutinizing their every move, but she had forced herself not to.

She quickly walked three blocks to the inn, towards the gates to pause for a moment. There was a stirring in the air.

'Rain tomorrow,' she thought and looked up to the sky.

She didn't like what she saw. As she hurried toward the door, she reminded herself to get the heater turned on as high as it could, so when the boys got back, they would have a nice warm room the moment they walk in.

She paused again halfway up the walkway, staring heavenward. Again the sense of urgency assailed her, a feeling that she needed to move quickly.

* * *

**_Have you ever been alone at night  
Thought you heard footsteps behind  
And turned around and no ones there?  
And as you quicken up your pace  
You find it hard to look again  
Because youre sure theres someone there_**

* * *

Sasuke couldn't help the nerves running through his spine and the angst he was feeling that they weren't alone as a group. He knew it was something wrong because he saw that Sakura was feeling it too. Someone was keeping an eye on them, they were being watched, but it wasn't particularly 'them', but it was more of a sense that it was being 'her'.

And the moment she left, that eerie feeling was gone, as if it had evaporated. But apparently to him, he thought it was possible it just subsided from them and continued its way to Sakura as she walked out. Maybe it was the thought of them having this mission, escorting Sakura, someone was after her. And if that was the case, then as them being the ninja's, her escorts, then they sure as hell were doing a bad job at it.

Sasuke got up from his seat and did the same proceedings as Sakura did moments ago. Not acknowledging Naruto's complaint of him also leaving so early, he walked out without saying a word of good evening or his destination. He had the need to get to Sakura as fast as he could. Something wasn't right. Someone wanted her now, and it was giving him anxiety that it started to overwhelm him.

As he jumped from rooftop to the other, he felt the light sprinkle become a horrendous sleet of hard rain. It was just seconds ago, the air was clear, now though, it was getting harder and harder to see what was in front of him. And it was the rain that could pierce itself into just about anything.

Then for a moment, a chill seized him as darkness seemed to loom, like a hint, a warning. It made him feel as if she was being hunted. Stalked. And he had to be the one from preventing that from happening.

He finally reaches the inn they were to stay and searched frantically for the room Sakura promised she'll be in,

'311, 312, 315, 316,' he read the numbers of the doors in his head.

Finally reaching room 317 and put his hand on the door, it was that instant he felt ridiculous. What the hell was he doing? Sakura could easily take care of herself, and if there was a problem, she would have told him by now. What the hell had changed? He wondered. Or was it all in his mind?

Suddenly, he was feeling dizzy. The world before him seemed to shift and change. And a blur started to consume him. He was being stupid; all worked up for nothing, and all it caused was him getting lightheaded. He thought that it was perhaps the lack of sleep he had last night. His mind wouldn't allow it, instead of a dreamless sleep or a horrid nightmare of a past, his mind would drift off to his pink haired teammate. It was a mystery to himself as to why now, of all times, she kept coming up in thought.

Then finally realizing how foolish he looked right about now with his hand still on the door, he calmed down a little and decided to knock on the door just to know if she was in there. But when no one answered, a sense of panic consumed him once again.

He slowly opened the door to be greeted by darkness, and the only sound that radiated off the walls was the heater at the far corner of the room, and the thunders coming from outside, but it was louder than it was suppose to be. Perhaps the balcony doors were open. Sasuke made his way into the dark room and to the source of the cracks and booms of the storm outside, but when he got there, his eyes jolted open wide at the scene before him.

* * *

**Lyrics from Iron Maiden "Fear of the dark" Don't sue.**


	8. Are you still watching me play my song?

**Preview:**

_He slowly opened the door to be greeted by darkness, and the only sound that radiated off the walls was the heater at the far corner of the room, and the thunders coming from outside, but it was louder than it was suppose to be. Perhaps the balcony doors were open. Sasuke made his way into the dark room and to the source of the cracks and booms of the storm outside, but when he got there, his eyes jolted open wide at the scene before him._

* * *

"Hey Maya-chan, you're not related to the Hyuga's, are you?" Naruto asked between sips of his miso soup. 

This question puzzled the woman, "No, why?"

"Well I was just wondering, because the Hyuga's main branches lord is named Hiashi."

"Oh, I see," Maya said while looking off into the distance, "But no, we're not related. Actually, back then, the Hyuga's and Hiashi's were enemies with each other about seven years ago."

"Yeah, I heard about that, something about the Lightning Village going to war with us and you guys tried to steel the Hyuga's secret scrolls or something like that." Naruto said in a mater-of–fact tone.

"Yeah, well first of all, we weren't trying to steel it; we were just trying to get information out of it, so we can find its weak points, so don't be degrading us so low, because in any situation like what we had, the Leaf Village would have done the same. And second of all, don't you dare put me on the spot, because I wasn't even there at the Cloud Country, when 'you guys' were at war with each other." Maya said haughty as her temper slowly began to rise.

"Huh? What do you mean you weren't there?" Kakashi asked, getting into the conversation.

Kashirou looked up to see if Maya was really going to answer that question, and by the looks of it Maya was a little on cloud nine, eyes sad, fixated off to the end of the room, so he answered for her,

"Oh...well, she was off doing her own mission in other countries."

Naruto was close to asking more questions when he saw Maya get up from her chair and paid the bill for them all. "Its getting really late and we will need to leave tomorrow at a decent hour. And knowing Sakura-chan, she's not going to be the one answering the door for you," she indicated in Naruto's direction, "She sleeps like a log."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Naruto shook his head, smiling.

"So shall we?" Kakashi said as he let the 'lady' lead the way and out the door first, being as much of a gentleman as he could be.

"Oh, thank you Kakashi," Maya said, then having the wanting to add more to the name, "-kun,"

Maya said, smiling sweetly before stepping out with an umbrella already out in hand to the drizzling cold rain outside. This act didn't go unnoticed by the two boys twitching in the slight bit of horror to the point their faces turned faintly blue. As they walked out, Kashirou regained himself to step next to the older ninja.

"Don't let her get to you man." He whispered to Kakashi.

"That's what I'm planning." He said in the same audible voice.

* * *

**_Long lost words whisper slowly to me  
Still can't find what keeps me here  
When all this time I've been so hollow inside  
I know you're still there_**

**_Hunting you, I can smell you - alive  
Your heart pounding in my head_**

* * *

The sky, it looks oddly abstract to the natural color, it appears as if there's a tint of red in the night air. A hint of red that seems to grow stronger as I watch and the darkness seems to take an almost physical form around me. It makes me feel like a shrink and I don't actually see the dark. 

I feel it.

I'm at a stand still, looking outward to the sky. It's clear. But it isn't normal. Realizing for a moment, I looked around my surroundings. Where am I? No, where is this? I'm trying to think, to process, to find anything that looks remotely familiar. Nothing comes to mind. I look to my right side to where the wooden crisscrossing planks and I see a figure on the other side, but it looks so far away.

I have the feeling to want, to need to walk to it. I feel that I'm no longer inside but now walked out to the corridor, staring out up at a high ridge, and atop the ridge stood the figure. No, it was a man. He's exceptionally at the right height, not too tall, but surely not as short either, a cape billowing around him in the breeze.

The thought crossed my mind that this man is the epitome of evil. Evil that's been stocking me. An evil that lurks somewhere in a strange and distant memory that couldn't be.

_Akito._

The name flashed unbidden to my mind. It needs to be cast out of my head immediately. It was him, he's coming for me, he's been watching me, my dreams, everything. He needs to go away.

A chill passed me the minute my feet start touching the ground to walk at a fast pace the other way. _Away from him._

The world is darkening behind me, as if a shadow is following me. Every step I take, as I look back at him, he's not moving but he's getting closer. _I need to run, run for my life, run from him._

I'm certain footsteps are behind me and they're closing in on me. I'm coming to a dead end. I feel him behind me, the feel of hot breath- fetid breath- it's at the nape of my neck and the chills are running up my spine.

I swore I heard someone whispering my name, its deep and mocking. But no one is there behind me.

_Run. Run faster._ My mind tells me.

As I run, the scene starts to look familiar. It's the same corridor. The dark wooden beams, mammoth fans above, the ladder at the far corner. The trapdoor up there. Where does it lead to? _I need to know. _

I throw myself against the ladder, wrapping my hands around each rung as I climb, step after step. The ground falls away, and with it the dim tunnel lighting, and soon I am engulfed in blackness, just like before.

But this time, no one is chasing me, trying to bring me back down to the floor. I can't wait for someone to come for me though, so why did I stop? Why am I looking back? I turned back.

Nothing.

I turned away, continue my way up. Then there's a sound, a clinking, as if someone is trying to open the trapdoor from the other side. Someone is there on the other side, but whom? And again, the whisper in my mind calls out my name. And something more.

Laughter.

_You can't hide. Wherever you go, I will find you……_

My vision is fading, I'm getting dizzy. Where am I? Back in my room again? Someone is hovering above me, but who?

Whoever it was though, it's comforting, as if he took me out of that place and into his own world. I can't quite see him but whoever it is, I shall thank him later because it wasn't 'him'. Whoever this person is, he smells of copper, mixed with an odd scent of nectarines along with his personal scent that can't quite be described, but all the more nice.

* * *

Sasuke was sitting on the wooden chair at the far corner of the room. He was feeling very uncomfortable but sleep was still soon to consume him. His mind was drifting off and eyes wandered to the second and empty warm bed. The heater between both, along with a nightstand to hold a lamp, clock radio, and a navy blue covered book. 

But it was the empty bed he wished to walk and then flop onto. But other things came first before a good night's sleep, not only that, but his blond haired teammate along with the others haven't came back to the inn yet. But his eyelids just didn't want to obey what his mind told him.

Then in the far distance, he heard shifting and the rustling of the sheets coming from the occupied bed. And for once his eyelid obeyed to open and stay that way. He looked to the bed and saw a large lump from under the sheets and it was moving a little too much for his liking. Twisting and turning, made the bedsprings squeak a little, and the shuffling wouldn't stop.

He moved forward and up from the chair to see what the problem was. As he stood in front, he lifted the sheet barely enough for him to see if everything was okay. Pastel pink tresses were the first he saw, but what he focused on was the face the girl was making. Eye's scrunched, brows closed in together, and haggard breath as if she were just finished running a marathon. And it seemed to be that way by the sweat going down from her temple.

'She must be having a bad dream,' he thought.

But there was no need to wake her because it seems she was coming through already. He moved forward and hovered above her, curious to know what she was trying to say, but all came out was a bunch of jabbered incomprehensible words.

She slowly began to open her eyes, and he could see them glossed as a tear sailed its way down her cheek. It was as if she was crying in her sleep and it was painful for her. When she finally got a clear focus, she looked around her surrounding to see where she was, feeling that she was lost for a moment.

Then her gaze went back up to Sasuke's and her expression was one of confusion, but quickly turned into a warm smile, one that he hasn't seen throughout the day, as if all the nightmares were lifted from her mind and out the window.

"Sasuke-kun, what are you doing here? And where is everybody else at?" she asked as she began to sit herself up and Sasuke moving slightly away to sit on the edge of the bed.

Sasuke was reluctant to answer her, for he didn't know the right words to say. He himself didn't know why he was there and the others weren't, he didn't know where they were, and the restaurant had to be close to closing time, and he would think they would of finished eating hours ago. It was a mystery as to why he needed to follow her back to the inn, and why he felt anxiety the whole while he had been near her.

"I don't know where they're at, they should be getting here though," he said, trying to ignore the first question she asked.

At this, Sakura looked relieved, until she felt a slight chill go up her spine and felt the cool breeze on her upper chest. Finally realizing the air touched bare skin, Sakura looked vaguely down to see her bare chest and noticing she wasn't in the clothes she was in before. Her face blushed three shades the color than her regular skin. She quickly covered that part of her body up so no one can have such a glorious view. Her mind quickly raced to what was going on, until the little rodent in her mind got tired from running the same wheel.

As if reading her thoughts, Sasuke quickly answered her unspoken question, "I found you on the balcony and it seemed that you were in some kind of trance, because you couldn't hear me yelling out to you. And when I got to you, you just collapsed,"

"Why was I on the balcony? It's pouring out there." Sakura asked confused.

"How the hell I know. You were soaked to the bone, and when you fainted, I had to carry you inside and give you new clothes." He said in an even tone.

Sakura looked down and under the covers to see he was right about the new clothing but apparently not her own. They seemed a little too big for her extent. But she really didn't care, as long as she was covered and she thanked the heavens she still had her undergarments in tact. So if Sasuke was to change her clothing, he wouldn't get that much of a full view. The thought of if he did, shot an automatic brighter blush to her cheeks, but also a slight indignity and self-respect to herself. Sure, it would be lovely for Sasuke getting the full view, but even with Sasuke- especially at this age, she wasn't willing for him to see or get any of that.

She murmured a soft 'thank you' as she turned away to recover from the blush.

This embarrassment not being noticed, Sasuke continued to stare in her direction and ready to get answers, "So what happened to you out there? Why were you out in the rain like that?"

The question lingered in the air as Sakura had her eyes engrossed to the end of her bedding. And to Sasuke, he thought that perhaps she got stuck into that trance again and he was instinctively ready to catch her again if she fainted once more. He studied her face carefully and saw that she was thinking about something, a memory maybe.

"He's there." and that was all she had said.

Eyebrow hitched up, face bewildered among amazement- Sasuke was confused.

"What? Who's there? Who's- " he began to ask, until he heard the sounds of bangs and stumps coming from the front door- someone was stumbling to get inside. And that someone had the obnoxious voice.

"Hey Sakura-chan, Teme, are you guy's in here?" Naruto asked in his prominent entrance.

Though the sounds of Naruto was heard, Sasuke kept direct eye contact to Sakura's face, as if trying to read her thoughts and knowing exactly what she was talking about. She felt the glare coming her way, but thought best to ignore it as much as possible, yet not making it look obvious of her fear of such a glare coming from him. She met the stare, and smiled back at him, but kept her eyes focused on his own, indicating that it should be a talk some other time.

Part of him was curious to know who this person Sakura seen, and exactly who he was. But he was also curious to know if Sakura knew what that somthing was that has been watching her throughout this evening. He knew that it was best to let this subject go for now, but it was defiantly something he was going to find out and he was getting it out of her if she liked it or not.

* * *

**Lyrics from Evanescence' Haunted was used. Don't sue.**


	9. My Note

My Note:

Yes! I am on the Writer's strike! Dun-Dun-Dunnn!

Nah I'm just kidding, but it is coincidence. I just happen to be a bit on a writers block era. I wrote the next chapter but it was a complete sucker. I Hated it and so I'm starting the Chapter over. Not only that, but I'm kinda spending my time creating a Live Journal Profile for everyone to see. Its gonna have its good, its bad and the gossip. The Journal is going to be made just for this particular story. So it's going to have my soon latest updates, songs that I have put on the story, my very own Art work, for example, I'm going to post on how my idea of what Maya and Hirou really looks like and it could possibly give you readers an idea about them while reading. And then of course, the better way for you all to know me, and possibly give me a few more pointers on the story.

Well, I'm off, and really sorry for not a sooner update. But I'm gonna post the next chappy soon enough.

With much Love, love, love pma.x.


	10. Dying All Day in Thousand Of Little ways

**Ahh! It's been so long. I've had this chapter saved on my pc and I could have sworn I've posted this Chappy up on Monday, but I saw there was no new reviews and rechecked and HA! This chapter wasn't even there. So anyways, here it is, and sorry for the wait. **

* * *

Sakura fell asleep in a haze of confusion. It was like the past twenty-four hours weren't real. Once she had uttered those words in sleep it was as though they had been her last. When she finally came through, it was Sasuke she saw. Sasuke's face was blank, revealing nothing concerning what he may have been thinking. She had suddenly become a ghost as he calmly sighed and got up from his position on her bed, expecting to confront Naruto before he barged into the room, and being like Naruto, come to a conclusion something was wrong. 

She lay still on her bed with the feeling of being weight of a dead person and despite the screaming and spinning in her head she managed to slip into a small unconsciousness within only a few moments- even with Naruto's booming voice in the other room.

* * *

**_Sleeping is giving in,_****  
****_no matter what the time is._****  
****_Sleeping is giving in,_****  
****_so lift those heavy eyelids._**

* * *

Leaving Sakura, Sasuke moved as quickly as possible but still knowing not to show it was too urgent. Naruto was in the next room, and Sasuke could only imagine the situation if Naruto was going to enter her room with Sasuke in there on her bed, and to make it more dramatizing, Sakura caught wearing his clothes. Despite Naruto's break in, Sasuke had more important thoughts going through his mind. 

As expectantly, Naruto had his hand on the door and was about to enter Sakura's room, until it was already opened for him by none other than the Uchiha. And as expected, Naruto looked like he had the face of a five year old trying to understand the qualities of adulthood. Before Naruto could even question as to why Sasuke's hair was soaked and clothes damped and along with whatever else go's through the golden-haired boy's head, Sasuke thought best as to keep the boy's head swirling of other thoughts, hoping to stall time and maybe- as a miracle, keep him from ever asking such questions.

"So did you get any information about the two?"

Naruto looked at him indifferently as he flopped down onto the couch, partly because of the exhaustion of the day's journey and the other part of him just felt it was necessary. Looking up to the ceiling with finger's tapping the tip of his nose for no apparent reason, Naruto began to ponder if any information he had was hardly any news to the Uchiha.

"Nope, not really. I mean other than Maya-chan isn't related to the Hyuga's. Actually back then, her clan and the Hyuga's were at war at one time. And now that I think of it, I think it was the exact time Neji-san went all psyched out and put the blame on Hinata-chan."

"Ah," was honestly the only answer Sasuke came up with, he could have said a more reasonable response, but do to the fact he had no idea what Naruto was talking about and why the Hyuga siblings had anything to do with the situation they had in hand now.

"And Hirou?" Sasuke asked, more rapturous and more inquisitive to hear about his verification.

It was silent for a moment- to Sasuke's surprise, Naruto took a moment to answer and for a moment there, Sasuke gotten irritated that the dobe had fallen asleep on him during a conversation. Naruto then looked back at Sasuke with a devious gleam in his eye and slide cocky smirk. And Sasuke met this type of smirk only days ago, so considering the amusement on Naruto's face, Sasuke quirked his brow in annoyance and was ready for whatever stupid thought that was going through Naruto's head to come out.

"That he love's Sakura-chan."

Case closed. Naruto has proven his point. He should have expected something so utterly stupid to come out of the boy's mouth. But to no reason, it irritated Sasuke that he had to admit, it was pretty obvious that the older boy was indeed in love with their female teammate. But the thing that completely struck his nerve was the way Naruto had blunted out such a palpable statement. He said it in such a way like he was telling the forecast of the day's weather.

Ignoring the announcement, ignoring the irritation, ignoring the soon to be headache, and ignoring the stupid face the blond was making at him right now, Sasuke tried to change the subject the best way he could.

"Are they already in the other room?"

_Yeah that was smooth._

"Yeah, well at least Hirou is in there. Maya-chan pulled Kakashi-sensei to the side and wanted to have a private exchange." Naruto said adding the quotes to his fingers and eyebrow lifted up and down as if implying it was something when he said the last two words.

Again, Naruto talking in idiotic riddles, Sasuke let that conversation be at that before he got more of a headache that could possibly lead onto a migraine if he stayed any longer.

* * *

**Well it's times like these****  
****I feel so small and wild****  
****Like the ramblin' footsteps of a wanderin' child****  
****And I'm lonesome as a lonesome whippoorwill****  
****Singin' these blues with a warble and a trill****  
****But I'm not too blue to fly****  
****No I'm not too blue to fly cause**

**The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs...**

* * *

"So right now he's in this village somewhere, I think. He's not the type that could be easily found. But it's all for good reason." Maya said, as she tightens the black coat around her. 

"It's hard to face this, I know, but I just wanted to let you have more information as we'd let on when you read about her documents. Lady Tsunade instructed me to tell you this before we arrive in Sengakure. Don't worry too much, my Lord has his reasons and they are in good intentions. I promise she's strong enough to do this." She said this with a reassuring smile.

Kakashi however, didn't share her optimism. And it came to the point that he was soon to lose his cool.

"So you're saying your okay with this? You're just going to sit back and relax as if it's no big deal to you?" Kakashi said with hands fisted and shaking with anger and complete mind-boggled.

"This is not the way it's got to be handled. You don't think this is going to have any affect-" he said, crunching his empty Styrofoam cup in his hand before he was cut off.

"This is going to affect all of us. You think I want this to happen?" Maya hissed with teeth sealed and eyes glared.

"Sakura-chan already knew the consequences, and she had the choice if she wanted bail on this mission or not. Nobody forced her to make that decision, so don't put the blame on me, don't you dare put this to be my fault why we are in this situation. You don't have a right. And you know you also have your own decision if you want to take you and your team and high-tail your asses back to Konoha, but its Sakura-chan's choice if she wants to continue this mission." She yelled, not caring if she made a scene outside the inn's foyer.

It was silent then. Several people stared but still continued on their way while other's tried to ignore the couple arguing whatever dilemma they had. Kakashi's face softens as Maya began to cool down to take a breathing.

"Trust me, if it were truly up to me, I would force her not to go, I wouldn't even think twice to ever let her go through this. She means so much more to me than you'll ever know. She needs me to be there for her. I need to take care of her because that cracked, good for nothing mother of hers frankly doesn't give a damn. Kashirou and I are staying with her; we want her to know that she's not going to be alone on this. Kashirou and I are all she has, but I am hoping that there could be a change to that."

And with that said, she left it at that, leaving a slightly dumbstruck Kakashi behind.

Each word was difficult for her to say, each word was cracked and scratchy that it felt like sandpaper rubbing against her windpipe, but to the silver haired man, though her words were hardly comprehendible, it was clear as day that this woman had a much greater bond with his pink haired student than anyone else that cared for her.

The question that bugged him from the beginning, along with his 'boys', they were all curious to know what this sultry brassy woman, and that arrogant quick mouthed premature are meant to Sakura. They had no idea what relations, what bonds they had with the girl. Whatever it was though, it was strong, and it wasn't something that he or any of the boys wanted to admit. But their bond with Sakura couldn't even be measured to the bonds she had with them.

* * *

**People try and hide the night****  
****underneath the covers.****  
****People try and hide the light****  
****underneath the covers.**

**Come on hide your lovers  
underneath the covers.**

* * *

"Sakura, wake up dear…" The woman's voice sang softly. 

_Nee-chan?_ Sakura thought.

"I have something for you…"

"Azu-baa-chan…" she whispered. She was a small woman always wearing a kitchen garment after making a morning breakfast, and she remembered her eyes were ice blue when she looked at her. Blue like Kashirou's.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

Sakura felt the weight in her hands and looked down. She held a porcelain doll with black spiraling hair and baby pink ribbons. Her eyes opened when held upright. Sakura watched her eyes close when she cradled the doll in her arms.

"Yes," Sakura said.

"I think that you're old enough to have something as nice as this and I know that you've been looking at them every time we passed by the shop." She stroked Sakura's hair as she spoke and she, in turn, stroked her doll's hair.

"Maya. Her name is Maya." Sakura looked up at the old woman, "Thank you."

"Anything for you dear," she whispered.

"What do you remember?" another voice asked. The doll was gone, her hands were free. She looked up to where the old woman was standing a moment earlier.

_Maya-chan._

"I named a doll after you," she replied, "and Azu-baa-chan loved me."

Maya's long fingers reached out for her. They touched her face and gripped softly but enough for Sakura to be forced to look at her. Maya held a smile to her lips and pulled herself to Sakura's forehead against her own.

"What else do you remember?" she asked.

"That you loved me too," she said.

She had been staring at the ceiling for several minutes before realizing she was awake. Her face was moist with tears. There were people out there who loved her once, but one remained. The idea was an incredible one: Unsettling. She couldn't think of the past. The past was the past and it stays there so it didn't matter.

She sat up from bed and took in her surroundings only to see the norm. Then a distant sound registered to her head, the sound of metal scraping against metal. She got up from bed to the noise that was coming from the other room. She pried open the door to a dim lighted hallway. The clashing of the noise was right below her as she looked down to the side of the door only to see Sasuke sharpening his kunai. She was shocked to see him there and though her mouth was forming words, no vocals were coming out.

"Did I wake you?" She heard his voice, a voice she didn't recognize from her dream and looked up to a canvas on the wall that had hues of soft cool colors that swirled into contrast to each other. Something that reminded her shreds of memories and it was being whipped away.

She kept her stare on the painting as she walked forward to close the door behind her and sat in front of it and next to Sasuke.

"No, its okay, I couldn't sleep anyways," she said a little above a whisper not bothering to look at him.

He stopped clashing his weapon to glance at her to the side with a look of concern on his face. It was an emotion he rarely ever had, but it was one unnoticed by the both of them.

"Sasuke-kun…" she whispered. He silently watched her as he rubbed absently at the elbow of his metal protector.

"Naruto's in the other room, he said he wanted to challenge Hirou to some kind of card duel. He told me that we have time; we are actually above schedule…so we'll probably be leaving before sunset tomorrow. I thought if you were up to it we could…"

Sakura threw her arms tightly around her knees as her tears leaked out that she started to cry almost hysterical. This action confused the boy sitting next to her and there was nothing he could really say to her but pity her for something he couldn't understand.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry…" she muffled into her arms as her cries became stronger. Her body shook and trembled and it only got worse.

She was scared of something; it frightened her and wasn't going to leave her alone. All Sasuke knew was that it was torturing her and this is the one thing he couldn't do to protect her from. He only did one thing that he could do, Sasuke unsurely raised his arms around her shoulders and held her as she rattled and shook with sobs. She was cracking and she needed someone to hold her together.

He couldn't remember the last time he had been through this type of situation, perhaps the last time, it was his mother that held him when he was in some kind of turmoil, he has always been the one to be comforted but this is the first he was the comforter. He filed through his memories and suddenly remembered what he was supposed to do.

"It's okay…" he said, patting her head, "It'll be okay…"

* * *

**Okay: Can I point this out to you all- please anyone that knows more about this kind of spelling can any of you correct me if 'nii-chan' is right for saying 'sister'? I want to change it if it's wrong.**

**Thanx with much love.**

**pma.x.**

**Lyrics from The Arcade Fire's **_**Rebellion' Lies**_** and The Be Good Tanyas' **_**The Littlest Birds (Sing The Prettiest Songs).**_


	11. Going down a snaky road to find out

**Okay, this is a short one but worth my time and hopefully to all of yours. And to warn you ahead of time,**

**Kusarigama: it's a ninja weapon that contains a reaper kind of blade, short handle but it has a long chain attached at the end. If any of you have ever watched InuYasha (cool anime/manga by the way) it's the same weapon as Kohaku wields.**

**Anyways….I love you all.**

**pma.x.**

* * *

One of two options. 

_Eat or train._

Sasuke didn't have much money at the moment so that left him with option number two.

He wandered back through Hokuto village towards the place he was growing quite familiar with, knowing that as a source of information it had been exhausted- what felt like ages ago. But he figured while there wasn't a thing he could do about the Sakura back at the inn, there was most certainly something he could do about the people that are apposed to be closes to her.

Finally finding the open area that contained of only Dandelions, he made his way and prepared himself for a solo battle. More or less anyways. As he approached, he figured that someone was going to beat him there first, and it didn't surprised him one bit, actually it was an opportunity he was just waiting for. In the clearing, sat Kashirou in the middle of a meditation.

"Ah you seemed to of found me?" he more stated, with his eyes shut still trying to control his balance and inner calmness.

"What is it you want Uchiha." Kashirou cut out seeming to snap and was more angered at the presence of another, before Sasuke was able to confirm an answer.

Sasuke supposed it was somewhat comforting to know that there were still people out there who wanted him, either him being their biggest target as another rivalry or they just wanted him dead. At this point in time, however, he couldn't give much of a crap if Kashirou was somehow upset with him. He had more important things to worry about. Kashirou was just a drop in the bucket.

"Who are you?" It wasn't a rhetorical question, but it was something that Sasuke really wanted to know. He knew the relationship he had with Sakura that he had no doubt of.

It was silent then, and it almost seemed that the boy didn't bother to pay any attention to him. And as if no words were spoken at all between the two, Kashirou demanded into another subject.

"I want a spare against you. Now," and that was the answer Sasuke was given.

Sasuke huffed thoughtfully as he shrugged his shoulders and the slightest yet most gruesome smile Sasuke has ever presented. He showed a lack of not caring in body language, but in the insides he was feeling his heart beat on a rush of adrenaline and his muscles twitched and was just waiting for a day like this.

"Why not?" he said unemotionally.

Before Sasuke realized what was happening, Kashirou's arm snapped out and struck him in the side of the head. He dove into a crouching position and swung a leg out to knock Sasuke out from under him. Sasuke didn't struggle to get back on his feet and jumped back a few, but his alter ago was at a complete loss. Sasuke couldn't even sense a mere shock of chakra that was flowing through the boy.

In an instant, Kashirou slammed his body onto Sasuke's, driving him backwards and knocking him down; feeling his weight crush down on him. Sasuke knew the smelling scent of the boy on top of him, smelling of ashes and wood. And as if it was all going in slow motion, that time seemed to slow down, Sasuke watched as Kashirou took out a chain and wrapped it around his neck with a blade attached. Sasuke summoned every ounce of strength and punched him hard in the face with one fist while he blocked the downward thrust of the deadly blade with his forearm. The impact sent pain shooting into Sasuke's shoulder, but the razor-sharp point stopped inches from his chest. Sasuke had stayed alive.

It took moments to realize what was happening, he looked up to Kashirou to see him with a sadistic grim upon his face, followed with an eyebrow hitched up at the pure amusement to see what Sasuke was going to do next.

_Kashirou is playing with me. Like it's a game?_

Breathing fast, Sasuke rolled free and jumped to his feet. A wave of complete bewilderment washed over him. Sasuke then charged Kashirou at unbelievable speed that Sasuke's figure could not be seen by the Jonin. By the time Kashirou put up his defenses, he was kicked, sending him sliding across the ground just when another, his clone perhaps, assailant dove at him, tackling Sasuke's knees in an attempt to drag him down. And in his attempt succeeded to hover above Sasuke and gave a series of blows as Sasuke epitomize the punches back.

It was then that Sasuke realized that this wasn't even a real spare, hell; it wasn't even a real ninja battle. No strategies, no Justus's were being used, and not even the control of chakra was being released evenly. It was just out of complete rage coming from the both of them that they needed to accomplish to give an injury to the other both physically and mentally.

Kashirou grabbed hold of Sasuke's shirt and roughly jerked him forward, while Sasuke's arms flailed trying to keep balanced.

"You stay away from Sakura-chan, you got that. If you _ever_ try to hurt her, I swear," Kashirou whispered dangerously into Sasuke's ear.

"You are the _last_ person she needs comforting from right now, so back away from her Uchiha."

And with that said and done, Kashirou got to his feet and dusted himself off. He started to walk away but not before giving Sasuke a final glare of warning, a threat that Sasuke had never had bestowed scheduled for him.

_Could this get any more humiliating?_

Sasuke finally stood and took a few wobbly steps before breaking into an unsteady walk in the direction Kashirou had gone.

* * *

**There's so much left to know  
And I'm on the road to find out**

* * *

Unaware, the fight between the two had its spectators. Several distances away, Sakura sat herself on a tree watching the whole fight, she watched the way they gave each other the glares, and she'd watched the determination the battle had, the intent for them both to seriously damage the other, almost to the intent to kill. But she was frozen to her spot, in her heart; she knew that it was best that they took their frustrations out at one another. She also knew that it had everything to do about her. The reason for the fight against them both is because they were fighting to protect her. One that has insight of the matter while the other was in denial. 

At this realization, Sakura's eyes dulled, her body stilled, and her heart beat slowed down. Even the living of the tree and everything in it seemed to notice this type of aura Sakura was giving off, as if they were being poisoned to death by her haze.

"Did you tell Kakashi-sensei?"

"Ah, you sensed me coming?" The feminine voice said from behind the trunk of the tree.

"Of course."

"I could never seem to surprise you, can I?"

"No, not yet...well except that one time," Sakura said with a slight twitch to her lip wanting to smile at such a memory. "So, did you tell him Maya-chan?" Sakura asked without breaking eye contact with the fight continuing below.

Maya jumped up to the branch Sakura was perched upon and took the open space beside her. As Maya sat, she directed her eyes to where Sakura's was focused on at the moment. She could see how brutal, and yet how sloppy the fight against the boys had become. Maya's eyes widen for a moment to see that Kashirou had used his Kusarigama against Sasuke's neck to try and strangle the poor boy, while the blade was close to injecting into his heart. Both Sakura and Maya relaxed some to see that Kashirou had stopped his intents to kill Sasuke. They both trusted Kashirou that he wouldn't do that to Sasuke, but they both also knew how cruel and menacing Kashirou could be, one that can rip apart someone's pride and dignity right out of them. After all, it was what separated Kashirou and Maya from the rest of the average Jonin.

They were both Tokubetsu Jonin's; they knew how to manipulate their enemy any way possible, but both had different ways in expressing it. Not only did they have that type of power against their opponent but they also went beyond the shinobi's code of conduct.

"Yeah. He seemed upset about it though, I'm very certain that I'm on his bad side right now, but I'm sure he'll understand this whole situation soon enough." Maya said with her chin between her knees.

Sakura lowered her head doing the same position as what Maya had done and softly mumbled an 'I see'.

"When do you want me to tell the other two about this 'mission'?" Maya said facing Sakura as she waited for an answer.

Sakura continued to watch of what was left of the battle before she finally faced the older woman next to her. Her eyes, however, wondered anywhere else away from Maya's gaze. She tried to debate on an answer if she was truly ready for either one of them to hear what this mission was really about. She feared the reaction she was going to get out of Naruto, she feared the way Sasuke was going to treat her once he found out about it.

What she feared was what the end result is going to be, and how any one of them is going to cope with it.

This was something she decided on, it was what she wanted to do because for once she wanted to be selfish, she wanted to show what she was made of. She wanted show them that she was just like them in her own way. With that thought, she had made up her decision.

"When we arrive in Kumogakure, but I don't want you to tell them, I want to tell them myself."

Maya looked at her puzzled for a moment before presenting a sad smile. She reached up and cupped Sakura's head dragging it down to her shoulder in a feel and look of comfort, and Sakura didn't do anything to resist the offer.

"I know you're strong Sakura-chan, but are you sure you really want to do this. I mean, we could still turn around and- "

"No, I'm not doing this cause I need to but because I really want to. Please Maya-chan, let me do this mission."

Maya sighed at the final offer wasn't going to be accomplished. There was no turning back for the girl. Sakura knew the consequences and she wanted to face them. And for that, Maya was proud, yet regretful. She was proud that Sakura had picked up the stubbornness from herself, but it was also their own downfall as well.

"The world is full of strange vicissitudes, and here is one exceedingly unpleasant." Maya huffed the words out, indicating that she had no way in persuading Sakura out of it.

And like that, that lyricist of words Maya had presented sparked Sakura back to life. Eyes radiant, smile lifted, damn, even the tree they sat on looked like it grew with freshly mint leaves on them, and even Sasuke's and Kashirou's battle had finally ended as Sakura watch Kashirou beginning to leave the area and Sasuke not far behind.

"You just like hearing yourself talk, huh?"

Both of the girls chuckled for no apparent reason, it wasn't as if the verse was funny, in fact it was down right serious, but for Sakura to hear another one of Maya's little moments of poetry was definitely one of the qualities she'd missed about her.

"It's out of habit."

* * *

**Lyrics quoted from Cat Stevens' **_**On The Road To Find Out**_**. and quote from Don Juan, canto IV, verse 51, by Lord Byron. Don't sue, please.**


	12. One more step to complexity

**You're so beautiful to look at when you cry  
Freeze, don't move  
You've been chosen as an extra in the movie adaptation  
of the sequel to your life.**

* * *

He couldn't believe it. He just could not, most definitely not believe it. 

Sasuke just made himself look like a complete fool out there. The fight against Kashirou was pointless, no deserving, humiliating thing he's ever done.

Sasuke wondered how he was managed to be outdone by a good for nothing-arrogant-quick mouthed-obnoxious-jackass. He fought with no motive and the fight wasn't even one of slight intelligence. The guy just made his blood boil and so in return he wanted to give the gesture back, just with the benefits to see exactly how much of that blood he could spill.

And apparently, when Kashirou is mad, he's livid. So with that thought at mind, Sasuke thought he added another tally to victory on his part, that is, until all crashed down the moment Sasuke got his butt whipped in a not so shinobi fashion. Oh how his father along with the rest of the clan mourning in shame and embarrassment up there. How they could all be turning in their graves because of the disappointment he gave to them.

Sasuke paced quickly up the streets of the village as he contemplated why they decided to start a senseless fight. Sasuke didn't know what grudge he had on Kashirou or why the reason he first met him made him get so irritated and to be so restless. He really shouldn't have much of a problem with the guy. But then again, it was only a one sided rivalry. He knew exactly why Kashirou hated him, and it was based only on that reason alone.

_Sakura._

The guy was in love with her, and she in return, was either too blind to see that or is rejecting the whole idea of returning those feelings back. Sasuke knew Sakura's feelings for himself, he wasn't oblivious to it, but he hated and he really hated to admit it; this was a love triangle and he detested the fact that he was the one stuck in it.

Though he knew about this dilemma from the start of this mission, Sasuke couldn't understand why he felt that he needed to start a rivalry against the boy and why all of a sudden he wanted Sakura to keep a distance from him. He would have thought it would have been better if the girl can cling to some other guy, while he can have time off away from her, but apparently, he didn't want that time off and he had the gut urgency to be near her as much as possible.

He wouldn't know if this was some scientific astrology thing, or the logic's of destiny, but he felt that he really needed to spend the time given to them, just to focus it on her. And he didn't know if he should blame it on this mission, but since day one, he felt a darkness loom over them all.

His thoughts were distorted of the matter, not only that but he was ragged, bruised and bloody and he needed to get a hot shower and get cleaned up before the meeting he was supposed to meet at the café near the lobby in the inn.

"Sasuke-teme!"

_Well'p, so much for that shower. _

"Hey, you're late teme, we were suppose to- " Naruto began before he got a better look at his teammate, "What happened to you?"

"I had a run-in," and that was all Sasuke could muster up before his temper could rise again. However, Sasuke couldn't help but snort at the bewildered look the blond was making right about now.

_Good, he's clueless._

* * *

**Glance, don't stare  
Soon you're being told to recognize your heirs  
No, not me -- I'm an island of such great complexity**

* * *

Right away Hitomi, what seemed to be the name of the waitresses from her tag, came over with a hot bowl of ramen and a glass of water. 

"Can I help you boys with anything else this evening?" she asked.

"Nah, but I'll let you know at sometime ma'am." Naruto responded back.

As the woman left, soft retro music started to play in the backgrounds- something perfect for this type of atmosphere, the two continued their little stare at one another.

"So why'd you bring me down here?" Sasuke asked before taking a downer of water into his throat.

"I found out more about the two." Naruto said.

"When? Last night?"

"Yeah, Hirou-san told me a lot of interesting things while we were playing shoji."

Sasuke looked skeptical that Naruto would actually have the patients, let alone the knowledge to play such a game. But that was beside the point, as long as Naruto had gotten the information they needed considering the two shinobi's they're traveling with.

"Did you know Hirou-san was Sakara-chan's friend since they were little?"

"It's pretty obvious dobe."

"Yeah but think about it. Do you ever really remember Sakura-chan when we were first starting in the academy?"

Sasuke filed through all the memories when he first met the girl. He remembered when she first walked into the academy; she stood out like a sore thumb. Her natural pastel pink hair and her striking bold emerald eyes. She wasn't one to talk much and for that, the other girl's had the advantage to mess with her, besides the fact of their jealousy. He also remembered the way she creped them all out- those girls teased and beat her, yet she still managed to smile at them as if none of it bothered her. He started to consider that the time he met her was the same year- if not months before the killing of his clan, is when she came to the academy.

Then it came clear to him of exactly what Naruto was trying to get at.

"You're saying she isn't from Kohana?"

Naruto presented Sasuke a smug smile of Mr. Knowing-it-all.

"So?" Sasuke asked waiting for the knuckle-head to finish.

"Hirou-san told me that she use to live with him, his sobo raised her since she was smaller," Naruto added when his face turned dark and more mournful, "then about six years ago there was an accident. And for that, Maya-chan's lord banished Sakura-chan some where safe, so that's how Sakura-chan ended up in Kohana, while Hirou-san went to a different location."

Sasuke tried to put all that information through his head while the other half contemplated if any of that made sense. He couldn't understand if that was even reasonable, and exactly if he really understood if Naruto was making this up or not.

"Accident, what accident?"

It was silent then and Naruto didn't know if he should really answer or not. He had the idea of how Sasuke's reaction was going to be if it was either going to be delirious, skeptical or if he was going to have any emotion at all, or even if he was lucky to see a complete foreign façade on Sasuke that he's never seen before. Either way, Naruto was starting to regret ever having this meeting with his teammate.

Then he knew he had to say it, because backing out was too late.

"It was a massacre."

Sasuke was starting to think about this, it dawned on him that what Naruto said sounded like complete bogus but still, Naruto seemed to have a look to be a different mindset, a different worldview. But still, other than that, it just couldn't make sense.

"Whatever Hirou told you, well that's a load of bull!"

That was the reaction Naruto was expecting from his cynical comrade. He knew Sasuke wasn't going to believe him or the fact that he just didn't want to picture it like that. He knew that Sasuke wasn't going to consider the fact that Sakura just might really understand what he was going through, he wanted to be in denial of that fact. So as the end result, he wanted to believe it was all a lie.

"You expect me to believe that, Hirou is just putting things in your head just to mess with you. Remember, he's a Tokubetsu Jonin."

"Yeah I know that, but think about it- " Naruto said as his own voice began to rise.

"Yeah I am. So explain to me about her family back in Kohana- "

"What Family?" Naruto cut him off.

He shut himself up because he had the feeling that someone was close enough to hear them- they both knew it. Sasuke gave Naruto the deadliest glare he's ever possessed, telling him silently that they would discus this later.

"Oh, so this is where you two have been. I was looking all over for you Naruto, I was thinking that we could of gone to that little shop where they sell recipes, candles, and those essence in there." Sakura said happily as she took her own seat on the table.

"But I guess you wanted to have lunch instead."

"Hey Sakura-chan, yeah let me finish this up and we'll go okay?" the blond said as if the conversation between Sasuke was nothing but a matter of a problem out the window. He tried to hurry eating while taking mouthfuls of his ramen, or at least what was left of it.

"Hey Sasuke-kun…um, what happened?" she asked worryingly at the sight of him.

It took a moment to register what she was talking about until he looked down at himself and forgotten that he was a mess. But he didn't answer because his mind kept wandering off. What Naruto had said was wriggling around in his brain and started to crystallize into an idea that it may actually be the truth.

"Sasuke-teme had a run-in, whatever that means- Tsk." Naruto said disbelievingly.

"Oh- okay." Sakura mumbled for she knew exactly what that meant.

Sasuke turned abruptly to look at Sakura. Her eyes were dull and brimmed with gray- considering the amount of sleep she had gotten the past few nights. Her endless sleeplessness was starting to put a bit of a strain on him if he should really be worried for her or not.

Sakura must of notice the tension and the intent look both boys' were giving her way and it gave her the sense of insecurity. So as what she did- cause she did it best, Sakura smiled back at them.

Moments later, when Sasuke was baffled about such an action, he thought more and more about getting to Hirou and getting the answers himself. Better yet, he thought of finding the time to have Sakura to himself and get the truth out of her instead.

The thought stayed with him for the rest of the evening.

* * *

**Lyrics from Pavement 'Shady Lane'. Don't sue.**


	13. I see an invisible birdie

**I purposely made this chapter short. I really wanted this on the previous chapter but thought that this part should have its solo. Other reasons is that in minutes I would need to take a eight to ten hour drive to L.A. and I'm trying to squeeze this chapter in before I go, considering I will not be able to have any pc's for the next couple of days, oh the heartache, the misery, oh how I die without my beloved computer.**

**Yeah anyways, love you all, and thank you all for reviews, it makes me so happy, and yes, I spelled 'Massacre' right so no worries to the people that who may be concerned.**

**Lovelovelove**

**Pma.x.**

* * *

**_"I'm an old man inside a young man  
You've got to take it while you can  
I'm just an old man inside a young man  
Take a heart and break it while you can"_**

* * *

None of this makes sense. 

How could of he of offered such a mission.

_But like every good story, there's gotta be a bad critic._

"You'll just have to talk to Akito."

"How does one accomplish that deed?" Kakashi looked over his arm folded in front of him on the bar as the girl sitting next to him in a satin-maroon leather jacket. She swiped the strands of hair that began to delight themselves at the tip of her nose and shrugged her shoulders.

"Damned if I know. He's not the type of guy that's very convincing. I haven't heard of a time that he's been in good terms with anybody. I guess that does suppose to be his 'thing'. He's even a mystery to me in fact." Maya sipped at the last bit of sake then jiggled the glass in her hand, rattling the ice to get the bartender's attention.

"I suppose I could first try reasoning with him, and possibly get a request of security when we make our grand entrance. But I've had a few run-ins with the officers before and it's never really ended with all of us sitting down for cupcakes and tea." Kakashi brought a hand to his spiked hair and sighed heavily, "Damn…"

"I'm sorry," Maya strained out. She nodded her thanks to the bartender and took a gulp of her refreshed drink before leaning over to make out Kakashi's facial expression.

Kakashi shook his head. "No, it's not that. I don't know. I mean, I guess getting too involved with this is crucial on Sakura-chan's part, but somehow I think I have the responsibility myself. But I think I'm doing it for them. Sometimes I wonder why I got messed up with those kids, why I wanted them as my students in the first place. Really, all they bring me is more stress, and bring me ridiculous drama. When I remember what it was like before…"

"Before what?"

"Before this whole mission and how Sakura-chan is…involved in it. Before Itachi came and messed me up. Before the attack from Orochimaru…Before picking up those kids and making them my students. Before joining ANBU…" Kakashi shrugged his shoulders and arms up in a motion of resignation, "Damn. I don't know."

Maya chuckled and rested her chin on her arms against the bar. "Wow, were you ever happy?"

Kakashi thought for a moment and grinned bitterly- or at least what Maya could tell behind the mask, "Y'know? I can't even remember. I can't remember ever being happy. I guess I was sort of happy with Obito and Rin. Maybe 'happy' isn't the word. I was content with them, maybe even satisfied to be with them. I think."

"So who are those people? Your kids?"

Kakashi snorted, "No! They were just…old teammates. Friends." He fairly laughed and met her eyes for the first time since she'd arrived after he suggested they meet to discuss 'the mission thing'. Her eyes, soft yet dark wells in her face, smiled back at him.

"Can you even ever imagine me having kids? They'll probably have the minds of a heated dog before they reach puberty. How old do I look?"

Maya smiled sadly, "Well to answer your first question: yes, and it would be great if the kids knew a thing or two how to pick up on the opposite sex at such an early age, they're still at the age where its cute. And for your second question: you look older than you probably are. You look tired of this place. This shinobi life you have going on. Whatever."

Kakashi stared at her, suddenly sobered, reflecting the same sad smile back at her- through his mask of course. "Yeah."

Maya straitened up and finished off her sake in two more gulps. That was her fifth one tonight. "Lemme tell you something, Kakashi-kun."

"Stop calling me that." He interrupted.

"When you care for people, it's a catch twenty-two. It's a damn catch twenty-two. Ask me why."

Mildly amused that her words were beginning to slur, Kakashi decided to humor her. "Why?"

"Because when you care for people, you're never totally happy. Not unless the people you care for are totally happy and odds are they aren't because they care for people who aren't. If they aren't ever gonna be happy, then you aren't either. And so you tell them to leave you, and to go on with their own lives, right? And then you're alone. You're alone. And who wants to be alone, right? Answer me that!" She pointed her finger into his chest and glared at him with one eyebrow arched.

"We're all gonna die, Kakashi-kun. Because that's what we do, and we have even less expandable time because of _what_ we do. That's all I'm saying. We're all gonna drown but we can choose our anchor. It isn't much. It's total bull, to be honest. But it's all we got," Maya smiled, looking bitter and bleary- eyed. She rested her head against her arms and closed her eyes for a second. It became two. Then ten.

Soon, Kakashi could hear her light breathing as her body sank towards the bar then off to the side, swiftly towards the floor. His arm came around her waist and propped her up against him. Her head lolled to the side, her lips parted as a slight grunt escaped them. Kakashi chuckled sardonically to himself as he reached with his other hand into his pocket for his wallet to settle the bill.

_Well'p, she's quite the catch._

As for her logic's, it was amusing to know even though she was drunk, she still managed to make perfect sense. Too bad that he wasn't told about that philosophy sooner. But then again, it was better late than never.

* * *

**Lyrics taken from Richard Linda Thompson, '**_**Old man inside a young man'. Don't sue.**_


	14. Cry if you wanna see my hippo die

**I'm back from l.a. and geeze it was cold. It was a shocker for me. yaeh, well its been a week since I posted and here you all are.**

**EXSTREMELY INPORTANT INFO: I am so so so so so sorrrrrrrrrrrrrry for those who isn't a login member. I noticed that some people I know 'personally' that loved my story and couldn't submit a review. So I checked, for me being the stupid one, 'members only' was the ones able, and to all the others were 'enable' gah I suck. so saying now, its not too late to post a review, and if you bash me then I'll cry, I'll stare, then laugh. Still love the reviews. They're perfect.**

* * *

**I see her face  
Everyday  
I see her face  
It doesn't help me  
She's so high  
She's so high  
I want to crawl all over her  
I think of her  
Everyday  
I think of her  
It doesn't help me  
She's so high  
She's so high  
I want to crawl all over her  
She doesn't help me**

* * *

He hadn't slept the night before.

As an effect, he smoked with eyes closed and head tilted upward against the wall.

A safety precaution- if you will. If his head was a self-supporting formation, it wouldn't be for too long. Thoughts wondering back to a certain pastel pink- haired girl, one that he's been infatuated with for such a long time now- almost going on five to six years to be exact. Then the thought wondered off to the sulky, painfully even, dark- haired Uchiha, the sheer weightiness of it threatened to pull his body down deep.

He cringed at the thought of _them_.

Times he would think if the boy reached out to touch her for the slight bit to get her attention, how would he react? If he could imagine if the boy to one day touch her lips. The softest bit of skin just below her ear. He wasn't so far gone to actually believe that she was there and he would have felt dirty and humiliated if she knew he had been thinking of her in such a way.

In fact, even now, day after day he will pass through like a ghost with barely the rattling of chains, he was sure he'd die if she ever deemed him worthy enough to talk to. He'll blame the fact his hormones were catching up to him too fast.

He dragged long, fingers going up to his contrasting salt and peppery hair and pushed the hand back into his pocket while his other hand lazily brought the cigarette to and from his lips.

"You know smoking is bad for you, Kashirou-kun."

His eyes opened wider than they'd been at any point during the morning at the sound of her voice.

_Sakura-chan._

She brushed several strands of hair from her face with her free hand while the other held her beige bag.

"And Maya-chan wouldn't approve much of it either."

Kashirou smirked and stood to his full height which seemed almost a foot taller than the girl before him who stood only several feet away, walking through the forests of the outskirts of the Fire Country and into the Cloud.

They have walked a good twenty miles from earlier this morning to reach to where they are at now. It was close to lunch and they needed a good pit-stop to rest awhile.

"Well Maya-chan isn't here, now is she?"

"Suppose I tell on you? The air belongs to all of us; I wouldn't want to die of lung cancer caused by second-hand smoke." A smile pulled gently at her lips.

Kashirou had the urgency to want to run his fingers, the slightest tip of his tongue along them as he thought about it moments ago.

"Suppose you tell on me?" he said. "Sakura-chan, you break my heart to say you'll do such a thing. Oh what have I done to deserve this?" He was impressed with how casual he sounded despite all that was going on inside of him this very moment.

"Drama queen." Sakura muttered before she gave out a giggle. Her eyes lowered and she covered the growing smile with her hand.

"Don't hide it." Kashirou whispered but enough for her to hear.

She took her hand back and looked startled at him.

_It's good to see her smiling again._

"We're going to be leaving soon, so finish that stick up, and maybe I'll be generous enough not to tell Maya-chan about it…" He took several steps towards her but she took the same number back. She didn't hide her smile this time.

Kashirou felt his heart thump twice then stopped.

Her eyes were shimmering green and brilliant. Inwardly, he cringed, remembering his dirty thoughts. He felt ashamed. Almost wanting to desert her this very second and bury himself three feet under.

_Almost._

"I won't tell her…yet."

"Oh you are so good to me Sakura-chan, how can I ever repay you?"

"I'd be happy, if you'd stop."

Kashirou grinned, ripping off the burning substance and rubbed with his fingers while he dropped the cigarette to the floor and raising his hands in acquiescence, "Alright. I'll stop."

Sakura looked doubtful and questionable, "Just like that?"

He moved towards her again, catching her eyes with his own. His grin slipped slightly as his breath caught in his throat. She was still too young to be called beautiful, maybe cute is the word for her age, but he saw so much more than that.

She didn't move away from him this time. The smile faded from her face as her eyes seemed to focus into his own. Oh how those eyes captivated her. They were at times hypnotizing, ice blue that reminded her of that cold winter years ago.

"Yeah," he responded quietly. "I'll stop, whatever makes you happy."

"Sakura, we need to start leaving."

Sakura blinked suddenly and Kashirou following suit when they heard the sound of Sasuke's voice actively loud and stern, along with the gravel crunching beneath his approaching shoes.

"Oh, okay Sasuke-kun, we'll be right there." Sakura said brightly, but not before touching her cheek as though checking for a fever. Sasuke nodded, and with that, he left the two and continued his way back to where the others were at.

Kashirou grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, we'll be there in a couple of minutes."

Kashirou turned hopefully back towards Sakura, but clearly the spell had been broken. And all he saw in front of him was the ground and air.

"Hurry up Kashirou-kun; you wouldn't want to be left behind."

And it was left at that, and only Kashirou could curse Sasuke's name in his mentality for ruining a perfect moment. And for that, he knew Sasuke was winning.

* * *

**I want to live life to the ultimate high  
Maybe I'll die young like heroes die  
Maybe I'll kiss u some wild special way  
If nobody kills me or thrills me soon,  
I'll die in your arms under the cherry moon**

* * *

Sasuke awoke with a jolt. Something disturbing had shattered his sleep, just as surely as a fire alarm clanging in the night. But he didn't have the need to rise from his position from the cot, but he wanted to get out of it anyways. He threw on his shoes and stood from his mat. As he stepped out to a better clearing, he saw nothing out of the ordinary and he wondered what it was that disturbed him so deeply.

As he took his turn to go back to bed, he side glanced to where Sakura's cot was and to his surprise; Sakura's cot looked as though it was deserted by her. And she was nowhere in sight.

_Where could she of gone?_

Sasuke felt that his heart had stopped and a sense of panic began to rise for a brief moment believing that someone has taken her or she wandered off into some trouble, which explained why he felt the sudden wakeup call moments earlier. After looking frantically around, he sucked in a breath of air and calmed himself down when he saw the pink bob of hair through hues of lime and jade leaves from the bamboo trunks.

From the distance, she seemed to keep focus of the full moon that gave out an aluminous glowing ring around it and from the looks of it, she seemed almost happy. And seeing that smile made him feel relaxed, but he was unaware of the pull she was giving to him. He didn't know that he was tempted, almost to the feeling of being beyond sanity and reason, to go to her.

Then it clicked. He needed to go to her for reasoning. He wanted answers, he wanted a conclusion, and he wanted the truth. And no one was going to give that to him but her. Concern was something he didn't contemplate with; he really didn't bother with the subject. It was the knowing and understandings if she was at ease and complete curiosity.

"Hey Sasuke-kun. I thought you've already done your shift?" Sakura whispered looking down to where Sasuke stood from the ground.

She was referring to the 'Duty Watch' or what Kakashi liked to refer it as for when they took turns to watch the premises while their teammates slept, and during missions over twenty-four hours, they always took turns every three hours of the night.

Sasuke took one leap to reach to where she was perched upon, and when he got there; he just couldn't understand why his breath got stuck in his throat or why he couldn't take a response out of his lips or why his palms suddenly started to sweat. She had a gleaming lightly fair pink halo from her hair as it radiated off the moons light, and her eyes gleaming of not just the hue of her eye color but the shades of color everywhere around them had been caught in her eyes, turning them into magical, gleaming crystal balls. She was angelic.

When this thought entered his mind, he shook his head, thinking it was an illusion. It was nothing, absolutely nothing at all.

"No, I haven't yet." Was all that could come out of him, yet surprisingly, he didn't falter and was relived he stayed stoic to his nature. He took his seat with one leg dangling to the side as he watched the moons brilliancy.

Sakura stayed at her spot and watched Sasuke watching the moon, and for a moment, his eyes scrunched to look irritated, and mouth set strait. It was until he gave out a sigh, Sakura believed she saw the picture.

_He wants to be left alone. I'm bothering him again. _

"I'm sorry, I should of woken Kashirou-kun because it's his turn to take watch and I should have been in bed by now but it's a beautiful night and all and I just got distracted- " she said quickly forgetting to take a breather as she got up to take her leave before Sasuke cut her off and jerked her wrist into a steady firm hold without looking her way. And it made her voice give out, eyes fractioned wide and heart to take an unsteady beat.

"Stay." He whispered, not bothering to see her expression.

She looked baffled for a moment before her eyes soften and slowly, with hesitance, did what she was told. She sat right beside him and had the notion it was déjà vu from the two nights before.

It was silent then and it felt uncomfortable on Sakura's part, while Sasuke tried to find the right way of asking her without her breaking down. He tried to find many ways of doing it because the fact he was afraid of the reaction she was going to get and he didn't want to repeat the process of holding her together and comforting her, because truth is;

He was just no good at those types of things.

And besides, last time he did that attempt, he got glares and a beating from a certain sixteen year old adolescent. An incident that he wants to forget.

"Why are we here Sakura? This mission, you're not telling me what's it about."

_Oh for the love of Kami … _

Finally realizing her mistake believing Sasuke wanted her company, her little inner knocked her hand against her head for her dense conclusions.

_Now I see, he wants info about the mission._

"I just need to see my lord. He's going to give me information that I need to hear…that's all." And it was Sakura's honest answer, as she put her chin between her knees.

Sasuke knew what he wanted to ask, and he needed Sakura to tell him, but it was whether the question was the appropriate one. He felt the words at the tip of his tongue that he could almost taste it but he just couldn't stop himself on time.

"Is it something to do with that massacre?"

He damned himself for being so blunt and really couldn't stop thinking that, why he hasn't crawled behind a rock by now. He was inwardly shutting his thoughts, and thought of covering his ears. He was prepared for the waterworks, but seconds came and no Sakura was crying yet. He was still for a moment until he glanced over to Sakura, and surprisingly, her eyes were still dry, wide like saucers, but still dry.

She wasn't crying, she wasn't shaking. Her mouth agape, but no sounds, no breathing came out of her mouth. Her skin paled and the angelic halo seemed as if it faded away. And she was stone. He felt that he just killed her with a verbal curse by using the words he just said.

The way she has been acting before was unbearable, but this now…

It was just downright awfully uncanny.

It felt as though time has stopped for her before she returned to herself, as she looked over to Sasuke. Seeing that he had a demanding expression, she had no choice.

"You…want to know about the massacre?"

* * *

**I left a cliffy...gha.**

**Lyrics from the Blur 'She's So High' and Prince 'Under The Cherry Moon'. Don't** **sue.**


	15. Dull coffee makes the world go round

**Love you all xoxoxox.**

**Pma.x.**

* * *

"You…want to know about the massacre?" 

Still, and I can't move, I'm just sitting here, and I can't wonder why I'm suddenly feeling a bizarrely disturbed by his nearness. He sitting with his eyes deadpan on me; he's just beyond above and all around me. It almost seemed as if I could hear his heartbeat, feel the pulse of his vitality, as if he nearer still.

Or maybe it's just me.

I began to tap my fingers on the bark of the bamboo tree, it has a soothing bump to it and it almost helps sooths out my mind. But it still wasn't much help. Feeling a kind of peaceful moment was for a long time coming.

He's watching.

His face is shadowed, but I see his eyes. Anger and to an extent of hatred rages through him as he casting his head low, relishing the feeling of power he has over me.

I could tell that he's been waiting for so long.

I have no choice.

"Judging by your face I gather, you know what I'm talking about." Sasuke says, raising an eyebrow.

"Kashirou-kun told you." I say, too embarrassed to look at him.

He stayed silent, and I believe that he was too ashamed to say where he got his research from. I knew the odd rivalry they have for each other the moment they met. I really see no reason for it really.

"Its okay, it doesn't matter anymore anyways. You were gonna find out eventually."

"Eventually? I was going to find out eventually?" he said quite baffled.

Oh no, he sounds mad.

"And exactly when was 'eventually' going to be Sakura?" he was yelling now.

"Why are you getting so mad about it-?"

"Because I'm supposed to be the one there for you!" he said, cutting me off.

I didn't know whether I was suppose to be happy and be eternally grateful, or cry because I wasn't. He wasn't supposed to say that, I'm not the one he should be worried about. Really, no reason at all. Still, I wanted to smile and I couldn't stop from doing so. Oh I could only imagine what façade he'll have when he sees that.

And to my suspicions, his face glows red and to the point, steam blowing through his ears. Yet surprisingly, he managed to keep his cool.

"Why didn't you say anything about it-?" he said, almost sympathetically.

Almost.

I couldn't believe it; I just couldn't believe what he was saying. My temper began to rise and I couldn't stop it. It was there and I felt the words, the anger, slip out of my tongue.

"You're one to talk Sasuke." I rasped, not using the suffix at the name. "Why can't you ever tell me anything, you're always blowing me off. When I want to know you, you say I'm a nuisance and it gets you upset, and when it does, then I get frustrated."

"It's…it's not the same thing." He say's hesitantly, almost regretful it seems.

The silence was coming back. I hated it, it was too unbearable.

And he was right, if it wasn't for this mission, when was 'eventually' going to be. If it wasn't for Kashirou-kun or Maya-chan, if it wasn't for any of…of this, was I ever going to tell them at all? He's…they're my comrades, my teammates, they have a right to know, and I need to give them that much.

"Forget it, never mind. I really don't care anyways." He said as he got up from his place ready to leave.

Still, I couldn't stop the words that were ready to come out of my mouth.

"We were suppose to celebrate Kashirou-kun's birthday that day." I muttered. I knew he wasn't looking at me and fixed his eyes on the moon, but I knew he was listening.

"He was turning ten, and I was the one who got a present that morning." I chuckled at the memory.

"Azu-baa-chan bought me a beautiful porcelain doll and she had a winter's festival kimono on, it was with pretty pink and blue flowers on a golden-white dress. I named the doll after Maya-chan. It reminded me of her."

At this, Sasuke-kun decided to sit down at his previous spot. Knowing, it seems I have no turning back now.

"I took her to the market when Azu-baa-chan was buying the things for Kashirou-kun's birthday," I looked at him then, "Remember the one we past near the outdoor shops, where Naruto took us to get himself those swindle potion remedies?" I asked, referring to yesterday evening. He nodded his head in remembrance.

"That temple down the road use to look nicer back then, the shrine then was beautiful. I use to pray over there sometimes" The memories were starting to take back, and I really didn't want to cry again.

"I remember when Azu-baa-chan would get so mad at us because we were always getting in the monks and priestesses way when we were running up and down the steps, and I would always bang the dong. Heh, I was such a pain." I laughed a little at the memory and the incongruously of such the word 'pain' was something I really could be at times.

The memory of it all was starting to take back to that certain day. It's a horrible memory, and I'm sure Maya-chan thinks about it constantly, especially the times she always sees my face, I could tell the pain in her eyes. They are regretful and scared, and sometimes revulsion and yet cachet. But she's there for me.

Honestly, I haven't even bothered to remember that day until now, and I somewhat want to curse Sasuke-kun for bringing up such a subject or better yet, Kashirou-kun should be the one I should be cursing to for telling Sasuke-kun in the first place.

The memories were all on live mode for me now, as if I was watching a film of the past play over and over again. It was a horror movie that was getting addicting. One that I could watch over and over and I know the results, yet it still surprises and scares me throughout the movie as if I don't know what's to happen next.

"It was supposed to be a perfect day." I whispered before I felt myself ready to cry. I held them back however.

I couldn't let Sasuke-kun do what he did last time, I knew he felt awkward when he held me like the way he did, though I felt relief and my stupid inner thought kept coming up in gala, that it was starting to become a little difficult to cry during that time.

Still though, I couldn't let him go through a burden like last time happen again, I'll be asking too much.

* * *

**Okay. I'm gonna leave it at that for now. I wouldn't want to put all too much info on one chapter, trying to break it down to at least two or maybe three so that would mean the other chapter would probably be up by this week, its going at a fast pace. So really recommended to stay tuned, it will be here faster than you know it (I think that's how the saying go's), and to be honest- This chapter actually made its appearance a lot earlier than it was supposed to, so the flow did get disturbed and I'm unhappy about that. Oh well then, no worries for all of you, but more difficulties for me. But no worries, I'm not changing the plot.**


	16. Plucking the Fruit off her Sakura Tree

**_They disguise it, Hypnotize it  
Television made you buy it_**

**_I'm just sitting in my car and waiting for my..._**

**_She's scared that I will take her away from there  
Her dreams that her country left with no one there_**

**_Mezmerize the simple minded  
Propaganda leaves us blinded_**

* * *

There on that long-ago winter evening, my face was rosy from the cold, my form was clad in scarlet satin and stiff white ribbon's, and I was descending into the crush of jūnihitoe winter's elegancy for young girls at the height of the season. Many of the girls my age were dressed that way. The boys however, dressed in traditional Haori's of satin blacks and as well of scarlet. 

Kashirou-kun's tenth birthday was a formal one for many lords and royal clans were to appear, only because the fact Kashirou-kun was best candidate for the next Raikage. He was required to be so, only for the fact the cloud countries economic status was becoming decreasingly and the outcome of the Kenzokusa war was still healing. The shogun wanted a young candidate in a kekkei genkai clan so they could train him to be the best kage anyone has ever known.

Despite Kashirou-kun was fortunate to have this- which the girls his age and some of the girls my own have seen him to be attractive and no doubt about it, he had a fan-club of his own, he seemed to always be lonely, but he was content with that. The girls didn't hate me so much. I always lived with him and Azu-baa-chan since I was only a couple of months old, so they figured I was just a close relative of his. No need to see me as their competitor. Not only that, but they knew the way he treated me back then. I remembered him to be quite a self conceive jerk, one that wanted his time alone and away from me, and in front of his friends and some of the girls he would tell me 'Go home' or 'You're irritating and a bother, you're not needed here.' Of course, it never bothered me because I didn't understand. I just knew that no matter what, he was going to make it up to me later.

The day before his birthday however, I made a terrible mistake. While he was gone that afternoon, I went through his things, hoping to find something to play with. And like a moth getting caught in the light, I saw the most beautiful vase I had ever seen. It was made of black marble with delicate gold designed linings and his name imprinted in front. One ornament that didn't belong in the room, a masterpiece that Kashirou-kun didn't have in place. Hypnotized by this, I didn't realize Kashirou-kun had walked in the room. Upon my grasp and in complete utter surprise, I dropped that vase. It shattered everywhere like the way the stars roamed the universe. He was beyond livid and he thrashed and screamed, even when Azu-baa-chan interference to calm him, it wasn't enough to stop the hits I got from him that day.

I had never been hit and I didn't remember a time I cried as much as I did before. Azu-baa-chan told me that it was a very special gift given to him by his parents, and it was the only thing that made him remind himself of who he truly was. When she told me these things, I truly was sorry, but I knew that it was going to be a while until Kashirou-kun would ever forgive me.

After the grief I gave for a broken vase, Azu-baa-chan told me to keep two promises, one was to never cry over something that can be fixed, and the other was to stay strong, because no one else knows how to. I didn't know what she meant that day, but I kept the promise.

After I received that doll the morning of his birthday, I could tell he still loathed me. He couldn't look at me- I hoped that he wouldn't, but I still went to the ceremony- with my doll at hand, and it was perfect, everyone looked so perfect.

It was suppose to be perfect.

And when he was presented, heads turned. Whispers began. But I knew it was me Kashirou-kun was looking at. His eyes narrowed, a small smile lit his lips, and it seemed to me that during this first glance he decided I was a delicious ripe fruit he had to pluck. I knew better though, I knew that Kashirou-kun was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike me in surprise- one that will be torturous on my part and a pleasure for his.

He pushed through the sycophants who encircled him to walk over and stand in front of me. He was stunning in his good looks for such an early age. His face had a soft, almost luminous beauty, but he was self-assured in his manner. I was stunned of how much he was taut mannerism by the many lords while in public, and how much of a goofball he was presented at home with me and Azu-baa-chan. However, as he stood before me, he projected a young boy into a maleness that charged the air around him. I lowered my head but still kept my gaze on him. The pain in his eyes as he looked back at me made me tremble.

Until he lowered his face towards mine and spoke.

"I hate you." He said taking my hand and clutched to it.

"I'm sorry." I murmured, tingling at the feeling that my hand was becoming numb.

"You don't belong here Haruno, you shouldn't be living here." He told me back with just as much venom coming from his mouth.

My eyes lashed out and breathing quickened. I wanted to scream back at him. I wanted to hate him back. I wanted to cry. But a promise has been sealed, and so I silently forgave him. I forgave him for hitting me, I forgave him for saying the things he said, and I was content if he wanted to continue to hate me because _I thought I was_ the one being strong- like as I promised.

I smiled at him, it was bizarre, I knew, but felt I was in victory.

"I know." I said.

It felt as though time had stopped and I was living that movie. We never moved and feeling of still being alive was questionable. When those words came out of my mouth, his eyes fractured then surprisingly soften. I knew I had victory. Being at the age of seven, I felt that I was peerless- that I was the one celebrating, that I felt that this ceremony should have been for me instead.

While we lived my sweet nirvana, we didn't realize the world around us. We didn't hear the screaming and yelling, we didn't see the people running in circles with terrifying looks upon their faces. We didn't realize the pain people were going through by the seconds while we both looked at it as if it lasted for hours. It was until a man swept Kashirou-kun off his feet and dragged him away. I saw the horror in his eyes then, and I was no longer deaf to the world around me.

The land was drenched in blood, after witnessing heads being sliced and blood sprayed on the beautiful garments and wall banners of the avenue, and soon to would be more. The captain of the Jonin, I presumed, of the clouds ninja sat atop his horse at the side of his teammates, watching the same as I was. No sign of the enemy, yet so many people ran and died from them.

The man cursed softly, "Damn them. So many."

By this time Kashirou-kun was out of my sight, fear over took me and I had the feeling of isolation, the only movement I could do was grasp onto my doll and stay at a daze watching the lords, the villagers, my peers get either head sliced or stabbed from the back. Watch their blood spray onto my face, on my dress, on my hands. My hair must have been stained of dark crimson instead of the natural pastel pink, and the blood I smelled was like iron in the air and it was sickening, yet I still couldn't move.

"Sakura-chan! Run!" I heard but didn't acknowledge.

I felt the breeze shifted, bringing it with a chill. Looking to my left, I saw Azu-baa-chan on the path, she was on her knee's and held on to her stomach as if she was suffering from a cramp, it was until I saw the blood gushing out of her and logic came to my senses that I needed to get to her, but she continued to yell at me.

"Run Sakura-chan!" she pointed behind me, and as I always have done, I did what I was told.

"I didn't look back; I did what I was told. People were dying, and I just stared. They begged for mercy, and looked as though they were begging me to save them. I didn't know what else to do." Sakura said as her tears flowed freely.

"I didn't hear Azu-baa-chan anymore; I was too scared to look back because I knew that she was already dead. I just kept my eyes on the temple I was running to. And Kashirou-kun, I knew he was still alive because I could hear him yelling to go back for her…He must have seen her die."

Sasuke stayed still on his spot of the tree as he listened to Sakura's past reveal itself. He stayed silent the whole time, picturing the events in his mentality. He couldn't believe it, he didn't want to, but Sasuke realized that her past was too similar to his own.

The pain. The blood. The deaths he had witnessed back then. She had been suffering the same thing this whole time, yet she never showed it, she never talked about it, and no one knew but Kashirou and Maya, and possibly the Hokage herself. The thoughts racked at Sasuke's brain at the possibilities that Sakura has been trying to forget and that she didn't want to remember. Then another thought came to mind.

"And what about your mother, was she there?" he asked softly.

"No, I didn't meet mother until I arrived in Kohana, which was a couple of weeks later."

At this Sasuke was confused, he didn't know what she meant by that.

"Wait…what do you mean that you haven't met her until you arrived- "

"She's my adopted mother," she said before Sasuke could finish his question. "After the massacre, my lord insisted for me to be handed into the fire country and from there, I was handed into the custody of someone that wasn't a shinobi for safety reasons, my identity for one. Mother was a regular citizen in Kohana working at a bar and she was to be paid to make sure I had a roof over my head, I was in good health and I had a decent education, and as a requirement to attend the academy. Until I am at legal age she has no need to watch over me."

"Fine, but did she even-!" Sasuke's temper began to rise before he was cut off again.

As if reading Sasuke's thoughts, she fired back at him, "It's her job! She's not supposed to care for me! She's not supposed to love me like regular mother does for her child. I'm just an assignment for her by the orders of the third Hokage and my lord! Nothing more than that!" she was yelling back at him.

It was silent other than the heavy breathing coming from the both of them. Sasuke couldn't understand what got him all riled up like the way he did and why he was taking it on her. He knew that he shouldn't, and it almost made him shameful for doing so. And Sakura, she didn't know how she could get mad, let alone yell at Sasuke. He cared for her, he didn't show it well, but she knew that he did without having the obligation or the appraisal of doing it as a teammate. He worried and it scared her.

"Well what about Maya-san, why didn't she take you into custody? Why live with a complete stranger?" he asked without sounding too desperate.

"Because she was suffering too. That massacre almost killed her inside. She was starting to loose it, she wasn't in the right mind to take care of anyone, let alone herself. She suffered the most, more than Kashirou-kun and me."

"She was there too?" Sasuke whispered.

It took a moment for Sakura to answer. She looked to her side as she began to see the beginning of the sunrise and the full moon was starting to fade away and blend into the pink-purple hue of the sky.

"Yeah." She whispered back.

Sasuke was to ask more of the matter before he heard the voices back at the campsite. Sasuke contemplated that it was more likely it was Naruto asking where his breakfast is. Sakura as well heard the bit of the argument between Naruto and Kashirou about who is getting breakfast, unaware that two of their teammates are missing from the area.

Just as she began to take her leave, she looked back at Sasuke one last time. His eyes were deadlocked on hers; he looked at her with a glimpse of terrible sadness. Complexies, she thought. The gaze had put a haunting look in his eyes. She began to be amused that the boy before her was exactly the kind of bad boy with a poet's soul, and she thought that maybe it was that reason alone as to why she was feeling more for him now than just a simple crush.

She couldn't keep the eye contact with him because she was afraid that her sudden blush may show for such a thought. This however, confused Sasuke that he may never understand- as other males, would know what goes through the females mind.

"We should be heading back." She spoke softly before she jumped off the branch.

* * *

**_She couldn't scream while I held her close  
I swore I'd never let her go  
Tell me what you wanna know  
Oh come on, oh come on, oh come on  
There ain't no motive for this crime_**

* * *

"What the hell!" Naruto yelled. "You already had your share. That was supposed to be my dumpling!" 

Kashirou stared at the boy in front of him and couldn't resist having a bored façade just to get Naruto more irritated. Throughout this ordeal, Maya and Kakashi were cleaning the remains of the campsite, ignoring Sakura's and Sasuke's tents, believing they will wake eventually, not knowing that they were just coming out of the forest to meet up with them.

"Hey Sakura-chan, Sasuke-kun, I thought you two were still sleeping." Maya said surprised to see them fully clothed and packed ready to start heading off.

Hearing this announcement, Kashirou turned quickly at the two and saw indeed that they spent the night somewhere other than their sleeping bags. His eyes narrowed and gave a deadly glare towards the ennui raven haired boy. His suspicion was starting to get the best of him, but when he looked at Sakura, she looked as though she was in a daze and quite disturbed, yet her eyes seemed to almost look…relieved.

"Hey Sasuke-teme, I saved the last dumpling for you," Naruto began when he held it up, "Hey Teme, you alright?"

Sasuke was still at a daze himself, thinking about the information that was given to him moments ago. It was Naruto's voice that snapped him back to reality.

"Yeah, whatever."

He looked back to Sakura to see her head was held high and for no reason at all, smiled back at Maya. And it wasn't the smile that she presented during the trip here but one that was peculiar and foreign, but all the more sweet. Yet Sasuke knew better that it was one that she presented as if the whole conversation he had with her through the early morning was forgotten and never mentioned, so he thought it was better off that way anyways.

And as if it struck him like lightning, another thought came to mind that he didn't even bother to ask until now.

"Hey Maya-san, let me ask you something," Sasuke said as he took his leave towards the older ninja.

"Yes Sasuke-kun?" she said, purposely adding the suffix at the end.

"How is it you know Sakura-san, I mean like personally?" he asked strait out, without breaking a sweat and ignoring the stares of his male teammates and the glares he got from his new rival and a unsettled Sakura.

Maya blinked a few times at the blunt question until she regained her composure and smiled briskly.

"Oh, well that's easy; she's my nee-chan."

Silence.

All there was was silence.

Naruto hearing this statement put his hand behind his head in sheer embarrassment.

"Um yeah, I think I forgot to tell you that bit of information that day Teme." He whispered towards Sasuke.

* * *

**_Lyrics from System of the down 'Hypnotize' and The Killers 'Jenny was a friend of mine'._**


	17. Interlude: A need to shut eyes, cause I'

Interlude: A need to shut my eyes, cause I'm going inside out of the rabbit hole again

**Okay okay. I know, it's been so long, about 3 weeks…right? But considering its winter break and having only one pc with two sisters and a workaholic mother, well the pc is more like first come first serve and I hardly made the cut. And besides that fact, I have been accepted to an out of state University thank you very much, so last minute packing and preparing is quite a bit of a panic for me. So heads up to all readers, this chapter or possibly the next chapter will be the last one for quite a while, or at least until I could settle in to my new home for the next eight months. Next Chapters will most likely be posted by the beginning of February, it all depends how smooth the move will go, along with roommates that I still have yet to discover. Hope they're nice.**

**Okay, sorry for the report now on with my story.**

* * *

It's been four days since the big discovery of who is who around here. And the shock has been over and dealt with already. 

So things seem to be back to normal.

It seems to be.

It's like when you hear your favorite song and you know it's been sped up or slowed down a touch. All the elements you enjoy are still there but you don't feel the same way about it. You need to be the way you're familiar with.

I had learned to accept the fact that things will change between the two of us but I was comforted with the knowledge that you kept a distance from me, that we are totally different people. And now I wonder where we are now?

Sakura.

I know you now and I shouldn't, but I am, and I can't help it. It's killing me that I know and I want to die.

Kami or whoever has a pretty twisted sense of humor. He wants me to do this alone. He won't let me live the rest of my life like I want to. He's keeping me away from him, my goals, my first ambition. He's keeping me to be here with you on purpose because I was such a terrible example of human life. He's punishing me.

I can't really deny it, not in here at least. I know, you're attractive, so many of the other girls can't compare to you. You're way to pretty for your own good. And I know that when we grow older, men would desire to have you, and they won't be able to resist you. You will become beautiful. Your hands. Your hair. Your eyes.

Beautiful.

It will be you in the future. And I know I'm prepared for that, but so is he. Hirou-san knows it too. I see the way he looks at you, yet I can't blame him, that's why he's so protective of you away from me.

And I guess I'm okay with that. It's just something new, I haven't accepted it yet that someone is able to protect you besides myself. Maybe that's why I'm so envious of him. I know that we have more in common than I like to believe.

It was obvious, in your story about your past; he resented you, like I had. He lost everything precious to him like I have and yet you managed to be here for us. That's what makes us want to protect you. What wants us to be there by your side and I don't want to fight for you against him.

It's unnecessary. He could have you. It would be annoying and maybe even painful to watch but I'm sure to get over it.

Last night I thought about putting a kunai through my chest and letting everything spill inside out. I thought about lying there and bleeding to death in an incredible rush like I was plummeting from the top of a high building.

You were lying on your side. You looked so much in peace when you slept. I think all girls might look the same when they're sleeping. I thought about going over to you and feel your breathing on my face or just watch you all the same. Last time I felt relieved that you were still alive, lying on the floor unconscious when we did our first lesson with Kakashi-san. I wanted to touch your face if it really was that soft as it looked. Pale and paler flesh.

I would pretend I'm leaving you behind.

I would never open my eyes again.

* * *

**Okay, maybe I'm a liar. I could fit in another chapter before my leave. Because I would feel just awful to leave you all with just an interlude. A banged up chapter may keep you all in tuned; now I just need the idea of how to create it.**

**Oh and sorry, no song here, so you all still can't sue me for jack sh-. (Damn for being rated T so no cussing for me.)**


	18. Let me take a walk into periodicity

**Let me take a walk into periodicity.**

**Okay. Shall I say? This maybe the last chapter for a while. Maybe. I'm leaving for a flight on Martin Luther King Day and I don't know when I'm going to have access to a computer yet. I say Maybe, only because tonight and tomorrow I have the computer to myself, but still, I don't want to give pressure to myself and make a crappy Chapter, when I know next one is going to be good, it may actually solve more than half of this mystery of the story.**

**Other important not so important thingy:**** I have been getting some insiders and several reviews as Kakashi and Maya as a couple. I really wasn't intending to make them to be, intentionally as friends with a bit of benefits, but I seem to be making it come out that way, aren't I?**

**Okay, so as you readers, I only need a 'yes' or 'no' answer, 'yes' as a couple? Or 'no' keep it as it is? Nevertheless, it really wouldn't matter though, becaaaauuuussee…they're not the main couple of the story. As much as I love my OC character, and how much I'm so much in love with Kakashi (as Anime people), I'm not obsessed too much.) This story isn't about "Them" **

* * *

Kumogakure was approximately the same as Sakura remembered it. 

Especially during the night hours like this.

Her eyes dazzled at the soft neon fluorescents and street lights. This village in particular seemed to never sleep; they always strolled around in a happy-go-lucky manner. And they kept the reputation to be a well organized Shinobi village such as being best in the economic stature. Technology was another thing that this country also desired as well- for instance, the bulky moving metals, what they called vehicles were probably the most common and popular things to have- unlike in any other village.

It was a thrill to go into one in Naruto's perspective, but they were starting to get bored having to go into one every ten to twenty blocks- it was for safety issues on Sakura's part as to why they did this.

Sakura couldn't face climbing into another cab tonight, so despite the risks lurking in the night, they headed for the subway instead- another entity that this country seem to have. It was late, and the trains would be few and far between.

"Hey Sakura-chan, what are we going to do when we meet that lord of yours?" Naruto asked honestly in curiosity.

Sakura didn't answer. She just wanted to be at peace for the next twenty-four hours. Descending into the underground tunnels would be comforting, like entering a cave. Blocking all sounds other than hearing only Maya's footsteps of her stiletto boots echoing on the gray cement floor gave Sakura's energy a haze, wanting the feeling to be lifted off the floor and carried on to someone's back by any of them so she could sleep in peace, something that she had lacked for quite some time.

Kakashi looked towards her direction, wondering if she would answer, but to his predicaments, she wasn't paying any mind to it, and one more step she takes, she might just fall with her head making contact with the floor. The benches at the station were unoccupied for it contained the leftovers of drunks, punk kids getting a high, and waste.

Though Sakura was on the verge to doze off to oblivion, she was still using her senses, for it was only natural for her to be watchful and alert. Always looking around for a potential threat. Of course, fear has always been a close companion for a ninja life. Sadly, today- after Nine-eleven, most people are more cautious and wary. And below that surface always turns out to be a fear that runs like a contagion.

Not even aware of Naruto's rambling about 'so and what', Maya slid her metrocard in the slot, pushing through the turnstile and handing the card back for whoever next that needs to pass, as they stood waiting for the next train on the platform.

As Sakura made her way through, a sense of darkness struck her and she was under the impression of feeling a déjà vu and fighting a growing sadness. Just a few years ago, at the beginning of this ordeal, Kashirou and herself had been in this station too. He was crying for the fact he hadn't recovered from the loss, and the time Sakura and Kashirou had to say goodbye as they went their separate ways.

No one was there tonight but a drunk sprawled out on a bench against the wall, his mouth open catching flies. The N train pulled in as they got on the brightly lit car.

"Here," Kashirou nudged Sakura as he handed her the big mirrored sunglasses as he noticed the irritated expression that the light was too bright to her liking as well as the glare bouncing off the plastic seats and aluminum doors.

Though she felt silly wearing the big bug-eyed glasses, which actually looked quite cute and amusing, she was relieved that it toned down to a shade darker than behind the glasses.

Once they all sat at their respective seats, the doors banged shut. The train pulled out of the station, everyone stayed at peace and the only sounds were the wheels making its _clacking_ noise as the train swayed and moved along. The car was empty except for a small middle aged man sat on the opposing side of Naruto and Sasuke. The man however kept looking towards Sakura's direction in complete astonishment, a bit antagonism, and mostly perplexity. He would turn his head away only to look back again.

Noticing this, Kakashi spoke lowly and almost incoherently, "We have an audience." He stated towards Maya's direction.

Understanding what he meant by that, she turned towards the man catching him off guard. She gave him a long stare with eyebrow slightly hitched up relaying on a bored façade, making it seem that she was testing and daring the man to what he was going to do next. Feeling uncomfortable by the crowd of the passengers, he folded his news paper and walked down to the next empty blocked cart before managing to glance Sakura's way one last time.

The train pulled into the Twenty-eighth Street station. The doors opened. No one got on. The doors closed. The train lurched and moved on into the dark tunnel again.

"The place we're staying at isn't much," Maya began as she looked at the tired teens, "but its got bedding, hot water, and a pantry. We're only going to stay the night and most likely tomorrow night as well."

"Really? Is there food too? Cause my stomach needs to get stocked." Naruto whimpered at the suddenly talking belly of his the moment the word 'food' left his lips.

"Heh- More likely there's only those fast food dinners, cause Maya-chan doesn't know how to cook squat." Kashirou said in low monotone, looking out the window of nothingness, avoiding and apparently immune to the death glare Maya was sending his way.

"Hey," she whined a bit, "I know how to cook, I-I just don't…have the time."

"Please. The last time you cooked became a total disaster, Not only did you not know the definition of the word 'flour', but you made a nightmare that not even the flies wanted to eat."

Sakura couldn't help but laugh a little, and the others looked bewildered if anyone came to be that bad of a cook. Maya felt the desire to pound on him for making such a confession, and holding back her tongue wasn't the case. Oh how she's going to remember this.

"Oh how sad and bad and mad it was- But then, how it was sweet!" Maya said in a sing-song matter with a devilish smile.

"Oooh Kashirou-kun, she's gonna get you now." Sakura said teasingly.

Confused by this, Kashirou looked over to Sakura then back at Maya, "What do you mean? She's talking in riddles again. She just likes to hear herself talk and make it seem that it 'sounds' intelligent."

Getting more irritated by his attitude, Maya decided now might be the best time to get half of her sweet revenge.

"sigh…- Hirou-kun, would you want me to do what I did to you last time? Remember when I told you about the time I was going to give you something very special...Let me refresh your memory. Its something to do with starting at the end and- " she began to say before she was cut off by an extremely red Kashirou putting his hand over her mouth.

"Please don't." Kashirou begged.

And with that, Maya had the temptation to wink at him as if indicating she had gotten victory.

* * *

By the time Maya put her key into the lock of her apartment door it was after three a.m. A light-throated "meow" greeted them. And coming in to a room with a black cat present, Kakashi's mood wasn't immediately lifted by all happiness and joy. 

"Ah, you have a cat." Kakashi dully stated.

Maya walked over to it, stooped down and hugged him into her arms, "Yeah, sorta. I've had Kai for several weeks' now."

Finally getting into the center of the room, they looked around their surroundings, and to what Maya had said before about the fact it wasn't much, she literally meant it. The walls didn't seem to be painted for years, giving off a dull gray-brown atmosphere, cracked wooden floors, and a faded black couch facing the window- probably replacing as a television, which seems to be the best entertainment considering watching people coming across the other complex. Ten feet to the right was the kitchen only containing a miniature refrigerator, several cabinets, a counter with a sink and a table.

Kakashi finally came up with the theory as to why she didn't cook.

_She doesn't have a stove._

On the left was a hall with what appeared to have three shut doors and one door across from the entrance- more likely the bathroom. It wasn't a dirty apartment, but it definitely wasn't something that fitted Maya's personality either. Kakashi and Naruto believed that they were going to step into a retro cheetah-leopard reclining, fuzzy solid red carpet, cocktail bar, handcuff-poll's-whipping-hot tub dominatrix apartment with the works. Quite frankly, the dorm had no personality to it at all. It was a dead apartment and looked as though nobody lived in it for decades.

Maya gave the brief tour after giving the 'house pet' its dinner, "The room to your right is my room and Sakura and I would be sharing that one and the one across is the pantry. One of you guys would need to sleep on the couch. And I promise, it's a lot comfortable than it looks." Maya moved over to the one window and pointed out below, "I didn't have any food in the fridge, but there's a small market two blocks from here. Oh and don't worry about bringing too much money. The old couple there is kind of senile, so it's pretty easy getting out of there with more food than what you could afford."

The four stared at Maya and couldn't believe that she was the type stealing from older folks stores. When Maya realized the stare, she was a little confused as to why they gave such a look.

"What!? Hirou-kun's the expert. Besides, I only did it one time…I paid them back, and I even was courteous to tell them what I did and they didn't seem to mind." Maya went on explaining her terrible act.

Kashirou could only "Tsk" at the blunt statement before walking out the door.

"Hey Hirou-san, where you going?" Naruto asked suddenly.

"I'm still hungry, and then I'll be heading home." He said leaving the door slightly open indicating as an invitation for Naruto to come along- knowing the boy was still hungry.

"Y-you don't…live…with…Maya-chan?" Naruto asked uncertain.

"Are you kidding me!? No thank you. I don't think I could handle the late night partying she has in her room with the guys she brings home."

With that said, Naruto and Kashirou left the apartment and headed on their way to the mini-market, and leaving the others only to decide what Kashirou was indicating on when he said about Maya's "nights".

"So Sakura-chan, we should get to-" Maya began, changing the previous subject. As she turned towards Sakura's way, she wasn't standing in her previous spot, but only finding her already sound asleep on the couch.

Sakura was curled up in a ball, breathing evenly and making herself look like a child again. Maya let out a breath that she wasn't even aware she was holding back. As Maya left the room only returning with a blanket in her arms, she spread it out on to Sakura.

"Finally." Was all Maya had said as she retired into her own room and leaving the other two- deciding for their own how they wanted the sleeping arrangements.

* * *

**Short but good enough, until next time!**


	19. Some JingleJangle morning wakeup call

_There's nothing to do so you just stay in bed, oh poor thing  
Why live in the world when you can live in your head?  
Mmm when you can go out late from Monday till Saturday turns into Sunday_

* * *

Kakashi really knew he should get up. He knew it was close to the afternoon for quite some time but it seemed the hair on his top was just having difficulties coming away from the pillow and saliva kept his face pinned to the mattress. His eyes were drooped half-shut as he looked about the room. He noticed the difference in the atmosphere compared to late last night. He could see that the room he stayed in was brightly lit naturally by the sun rays. He looked across the room only to find Sasuke was lying on a vanilla couch, fast asleep. 

It seemed that Sasuke had wanted to sleep-in as well.

He could smell some coffee being brewed in the other room- figured someone had to be up at this time. He couldn't think of the last time he had coffee, it would always just be green tea or perhaps warm sake in the morning. He had gotten use to having little to eat or maybe it was Naruto's persuasion to go eat at Ichiraku's considering his oh so busy schedule. Maybe his system was rejecting what his nose wanted at the moment because it had become so accustomed to his poor diet. The thought of having miso soup would have been nice for breakfast along with a cup of coffee but the smell alone made him sick. He closed his eyes again.

He could hear the sound of a knock at the front door. It sounded a bit fuzzy to his ears; he rolled over so that he was facing opposite from the window.

"_Stop it, what are you doing here."_

"_Damn it Maya-chan. You look great."_

"_Stop. I have guest here."_

Kakashi pressed his arm over his ear to block out the sound but he turned his head slightly when he heard Maya talking to some guy who apparently walked in uninvited and doing some things to Maya that sounded pretty heated up.

"_You can't just show up one day and think that what you did never happened."_

"_What did I do? I told you I had a mission that morning."_

"_Yeah, it was only a week's mission. It's been four months since you came back and 'now' is the time you want to show up at my door step?"_

"_Oh come on Maya-chan. I was trying to work out some things. Listen, lets go get some breakfast, we'll talk about whatever you want, come back to my place-"_

"_No, you need to leave." _

Kakashi slightly squirmed out of bed, putting on his half-mask, a plain white T-shirt, and grey sweat pants- all the while watching for any movements from the boy still asleep. He walked over to the door as his fingers closed around the handle and pushed aside to open.

The chat continued, "Maya-chan, you don't know how much I regret not calling you. I was having…team issues that I was trying to work out."

"Oh I bet." Maya said haughty.

This was starting to interest Kakashi of who exactly Maya was talking to. He wasn't much for gossip, but no one could turn the other way when any kind of drama was happening around. It was as if he was just another fly getting caught in the light-bulb.

"Rei, you need to go."

This was getting interesting by the second, Kakashi thought to himself. Rei, huh? He wondered if he should take the opportunity to walk in on them at the right time.

"I missed you."

"Yeah, was that before or after you realized you were starched naked on Kana's bed- which by the way, I caught you two in a desperately twisted situation."

"Maya-"

"Say hi to Kana for me." And with that, the sound of the door snapped shut and the pleads of a sad puppy outside the door asking for entry back in.

It stayed quite for awhile- Maya relieved the man had finally given up; she walked over to the window and watches the man take his leave.

Maya called back over her shoulder, "Want some coffee?"

* * *

Sakura slept. 

She was dreaming about being back in Kohana, at the bridge. She was dreaming about the fish there.

Blue, purples and gold shimmering back at her. Like velvet looking under the water. She wanted to jump in too. Listening to far away sounds that would struggle to bubbles in her ears. She wanted to stay in there forever. She looked up and saw the sky framed by long and bulrushes. She then saw him too, he looked below her. He was a fuzzy image that blurred and smeared of what was behind him.

_Don't leave me here._

And he was there. He had his fingers going through her hair like it was velour and looked like powder under the water. He was feeling her and she felt as though he pulled at her waist like he wanted to pull her clear inside of him.

Suddenly it occurred to her that she couldn't breathe under water. Her lungs burned and swelled. She pushed herself away from him and struggled to swim to the outside. His hand however, would not let her go, his fingers dug deep into her and she wondered if he might draw blood from her wrist.

_If I die, you're dying with me. You brought me here and you won't leave me here alone._

_Please don't… _

And all she felt was his grip loosening and felt herself being carried away. 

Her dream began to dissolve into nothingness and unconscious and like that she awoken. The wetness became sweat on the rising of her skin, and to be floated to the surface was the embrace of someone carrying her away.

"Sakura-chan, I'm sorry I had to wake you but…" Kashirou whispered to her, half startled that he was holding onto her- let alone, back at Maya's apartment complex.

"Kashirou-kun?" Sakura mumbled still half asleep.

She felt the charge to her head as he carried her to the room she was meant to sleep in the night before, feeling the light-headedness and nauseating feeling into a cloud nine as he gently swayed past the obstacles of the narrow hallway and into the room that occupied the bed.

"It will be okay for you to sleep in more, and I thought you would feel uncomfortable still sleeping on the couch when all the commotion is going around in there." Kashirou said, still keeping his voice soft and low.

"Hmmm, Commotion?" Sakura asked, nuzzling her nose into the warm pillow finally touching her head.

"Yeah, you didn't hear that knucklehead yelling? Obvious, he didn't have a place to sleep since you took up the couch, so he slept in the bathtub,"

"Bathtub?" Sakura asked starting to wake just a bit more.

"Yeah, and apparently Maya-chan didn't know and…"

"Oh no, she was going to take her shower, so she walked in on him with her being nude."

"Kakashi-san saw it to be funny." Kashirou said enlightening the humor still sniggering at the memory that happened minutes ago as he sat on the bed behind Sakura's laying figure.

"Hmmm and where's Sasuke-kun?"

"Tsk, I'm not keeping tabs on the ass." Kashirou said with a hint of anger that she mentioned him.

"Kashirou-kun, how come you don't like him?" Sakura asked as she felt his fingers stroking through her hair.

To him, it felt like putting his hands through the fabric of expensive silk and cream of lavender oils. The feeling itself, made him want to doze off once more, considering that he stayed up late last night with Naruto who wanted to do last minute grocery shopping- Maya didn't seem to have a breakfast plan either it seemed.

Feeling the head rub down, Sakura began to fall to oblivion as well, but not before asking again, "How come you don't like Sasuke-kun?"

"Something about the guy," Kashirou began, he wasn't going to give the complete truth as to his reasons, but he was going to be honest to one thing. "I don't trust him. I know you do, but…I'm sorry to say this, but you really shouldn't either."

With this said, Sakura turned her head around to face him with a bit of confusion mixed with anger along with it.

"His eyes. Something about the eyes is what strikes me. They're cold and creepy, and…damn, how can I say this?" Kashirou contemplated if he should regret saying any of his opinion at all, but he started it so he damn well might as well finish it.

"I'm afraid for you Sakura-chan. I'm afraid that he's going to hurt you someday, maybe not physically but he's going to break you and maybe even betray you. I don't know. All I'm saying Sakura-chan is to just be careful with him…and…don't get your hopes up that he's going to really be there for you."

"Kashirou-kun-" Sakura began before being cut off.

"Just promise me that Sakura." He said without any significance to her name this time.

"Okay Kashirou-kun, okay." Sakura said sounding reassuring yet scared what was said to her.

She turned back around with her head on the pillow and Kashirou with his head rested behind her and once more went back to his duties to stroke her hair as they went back to silent bliss of sleep once again.

* * *

_You rot in your bedroom, you cry on the phone.  
Well I'm sorry / but he's not at home.  
You give me your secrets, you give me your heart  
and I smile whilst you fall apart._

He was acting like a child.

Well, wasn't he? He may have been going through the most dangerous deadly games of man kind, he would risk his life for the sake of his village, he would draw blood by his own hands and he would risk even the love of his life- Ramen, to have his true reward but on the contrary, he was still a child. Though he was at the right age to start considering about the opposites of Mother Nature itself, he just wasn't ready for it yet- he wanted to consider himself…as a late bloomer.

He would of never of thought he would see the woman nude. Oh the horror yet the excitement and exotic nature that he never knew to exist. No, what was he thinking? He shouldn't of felt so…so…thrilled and antsy, hell, he's known to have his signature move as the sexy-jutsu, he's seen himself nude as a woman. But of course, this was him he was starting to think about, and it's a different feeling seeing someone other than your self to have that great of a woman's figure.

_Damn, now I'm loosing my mind. _

* * *

_As I lay / down in the bedroom/ there came a sound / from far away.  
As I strained / my ears to listen / I could hear / a thin voice say:  
In your heart / there's no emotion/ and your soul,  
your soul just dried away_. 

It was the yelp of Naruto's voice that woken Sasuke up from his sleep. For a change, he thought he was going to finally have a perfect dreamless sleep. One that had no concern for a past of a slaughter of his clan, no pink haired teammate that has been teasingly manipulating his mind recently- if not of dreams at night, then thoughts at day. But of course, all good things come to an end, it was too good to be true that he could finally have his peace, and it was like Naruto to disturb that peace.

As he opened the door to the room, he heard the distant sound of running water along with a woman's hum as she took her shower. He didn't bother checking her room he past, knowing it was none of his business to check- he knew the woman was hiding something corrupt in this residence, and what better place would it be in this forsaken apartment complex?

Sasuke's intentions of getting out of bed in the first place was to give Naruto a piece of his mind for disturbing the peace, but as he walked onto a stiff red and horrified Naruto sitting on the couch perfectly still, well he wouldn't know what to think about it and maybe give the boy some slack and let him go this time for once. The boy looked sick, well with a slight smile on his face, but still sick. Like he thought before- Good things come to an end.

Sasuke was a bit concerned for his friend- Naruto was coming to the point of having drool running down his chin, until Kakashi interrupted his reverie.

"He'll be alright; he's just in 'paradise' at the moment." Kakashi said before taking another gulp of his coffee.

"You sure about that?" Sasuke said as he looked through the cabinets- only finding canned tuna, canned soups, and cheap plastic cups of instant ramen noodle.

_Wow, the woman really doesn't cook. They're just microwavable foods. _

"The woman's just like the dobe." Sasuke stated his own thought out loud. "She just eats junk."

"Actually, this is only a temporary place for her," Kakashi said as Sasuke scavenged the area for more decent food.

"How'd you find that out?" Sasuke mumbled.

"We had a chat this morning. And we were talking about you and Sakura-chan."

You and Sakura.

It was that sentence what triggered Sasuke's heart to start racing like a horse's gallop, he didn't know why he felt the sweat on his palms or why he consciously felt his pupil contracted, but he feared to what was behind that meaning because not even himself was prepared for a reality check- if he could even call it that.

"Wh-what?" Sasuke stammered- something he never done before.

_Oh no, here it comes. _

"Well we were talking about it, and now _I'm_ even curious. So Sasuke, what is this new relationship with you and Sakura-chan?"

* * *

**Haha. I did it. And I'm sorry. I will be leaving you all with this in bewilderment for awhile. Keeping you all guessing what Sasuke's answer will be. But no worries, I'm not abandoning this story. As soon as I get computer access, I will write my next chapter pronto. I have the chapter plot, I just need the words.**

**Oh and if you all haven't noticed but I left the hint that Kakashi had his mask off. Only if any of them saw it, and Sasuke was the closest one to see…but he decided to sleep in. Anyways, I gave the post about the votes for the no-KakashixMaya or yes-KakashixMaya from last chapter and you all have the time to request those votes before the next maybe five to seven chapters.**

**Oh and I forgot, Lyrics from the Pulp 'Monday morning', There's no emotion', and 'Life must be so wonderful'. Yeah I'm a big fan of The Pulp.**


	20. Let's not talk about Folktaled Domestics

**Oh my God I'm back. I hope. The year of being away was hectic and frustrating and and just plain having a life. I am only able to write this chapter cause I'm borrowing a computer with internet access. And I think I'm going homeless. My work is on the other side of town and the commute is terrible but the job is wonderful. I am being pressured to move out of the house and find a place closer to work, which is perfectly fine but for me being paid 8 something an hour and 1 bed room apartments are reaching in the mid to high 600's a month, including the extras like furniture and gas and all the other important stuff to live on, well I'm gonna have to cut back and my wish list will have to be on hold such as a moped that I was really hoping to get by the end of this month…that's flying out the window right about now.**

**Well to say I apologize for leaving for a long time but I seriously thought of you guys everyday and constantly reminded myself of the plot of my story and the Naruto series cuz I haven't been able to watch it since Sasuke left and I am now watching it again only cuz I have dvr to record my shows for now, I work during the Naruto episodes come on. And I gotta say, Naruto is in a goofball state right now as far as the episodes go. No real plot.**

**Love you all.**

**pma.x.**

**Enjoy.**

**-**

**-**

**-**

Kakashi was sure that Sasuke would be more pissed off than he thought. After all, Kakashi couldn't remain low-profile on his opinion even if he tried. Which in fact he had. But Kakashi knew the boy was all brick and stone to all sentiment and maudlin. The moment Sasuke got up from his seat; he walked past the kitchen entrance, towards the bedroom he occupied moments ago.

"So, how'd he take it?" the woman's voice came from the other side of the room. "Will he be alright?"

"I sure hope so, he didn't seem to happy by it, but then again, this is Sasuke-san we're talking about here." Kakashi said before taking his coffee mug into the sink to rinse out. "Hey, where you off to?"

Maya made it seem that she paid no mind to what he said as she air dried her hair with another towel, scrunching then feathering out the remaining droplets that clung itself to each strand, while having her other hand trying to secure the towel to keep her warm from the rooms temperature, or better yet, trying to do its purpose of trying to cover as much of her as possible.

"Oh, um…I have an appointment I've set up a while back, nothing serious, but I'll be back before dinner. Don't worry darling, I'll be alright." She said sarcastically before closing the bathroom door once again, feeling her towel beginning to slip away from her chest.

Kakashi, alone with an awkward stand still. Naruto entered the apartment once more inspecting any sign of what may have taken place. Looking back to the bathroom, to the room Sasuke entered, to the chair that was occupied moments ago, and then the process started all over again. He knew it best not to disturb the woman that occupied the bathroom even though he felt the jolt in his groin that he needed a toilet, but that could wait for a minute, then the thought of looking for Sasuke, but that thought left as quickly as it came for Sasuke's mood changes came drastically recently. Kakashi was an option, but he questioned what the topic he should bring up, curious of what the conversation was about that happened just now. Really, he didn't know what to do at the moment and felt lost and completely out of place.

Kakashi however, had his mind reeling back to how all this will eventually end.

-

Sasuke hadn't been prepared for that, hadn't believed…

He stormed away, throwing open doors that he managed to lock for years knowing that he was so sure of loosing the keys to. His heart thundering with fear, with anticipation. What had been conjecture was now proved to be true. He was there. She was here. And now knowing what he feared most, he wanted so much but what he could never have and wasn't meant to belong to him.

Entering the room he slept in- he gathered all of his belongings- wasn't much, other than the basics of survival. The survival to make his way back home, back where things were normal, where things made sense. Back to where he knew his belonging, to his purposes and where he knew that he had his sanity.

If they were to punish him for abandoning this mission, then so be it. He was willing to loose his pride for once for being such a terrible shinobi. For once he was willing to abandon and coward away- it would feel better for him to know that he acted upon instincts.

In a rush and control that his body has taken, he left the room as quickly as he entered, he straightened, hesitating, knowing he had to make a split-second decision. And then he saw it. He saw Sakura sleeping in bliss, but it wasn't that what set the frown upon his face. The boy rested behind her. He couldn't see his face, for his face was covered and buried into the pink tresses of hair, but he saw the arm dangled to the rim of her waist and the other burring itself a tunnel under her neck only to make its way holding her hand gently with security.

Sasuke hunched his back low, his head bent, but eyes fixated on his target.

He slowly backed away.

His head screamed, screams of shrill, uncanny terror. His heart clutched itself that the beating has gotten too fast. He had to steady himself against the wall from falling, sight going white and dim, fearing it was either a heart attack or a hit to the head of what he was facing known as reality check. Indecision tore at him for a moment.

_Alone. He doesn't want to be alone._

He should have seen to it that this was supposed to happen to him. But he hadn't really known what would happen here. So he was alone.

He wanted to say _'now what?'_

But he knew. Whatever was happening here, the things that were going to happen, he couldn't stop it. He had no rights to do so. And without him having the control, then there is nothing he could protect. The sounds of his brother's voice echoed in his head over and over like a broken record played in his head.

'_Run away'_

Closing his eyes tight, teeth grinding, knuckles white- nothing changed to what decision he knew he had to make.

He had to run away.

Turning on his heel, he walked at an even pace- ignoring the stares of his comrades, the stares of confusion, hurt, and the feeling of being betrayed, not once he looked past them apologetic but at least gave the respects of showing an emotion never shown. An emotion of admitting loss and burden to grief.

Opening and closing the door behind him quietly without a sound, but his mind screamed endlessly.

He had turned and ran.

-

Kashirou awoke in a cold sweat. Damn Haruno Sakura. Being with her was a sweat rapture he had never daring to get so near yet being near her also evoked nightmares of the past. But it wasn't just that to awake him from his sleep cause in the dreams, it never reached to the worst of what happened. It was the feeling of being watched. Watched by burning bleeding eyes that spun into a whirlpool of a black hole of never believing to be released from. So he kept his eyes shut, heart beating fast but kept still. And then it was gone and apparently out the front door.

He opened his eyes slowly only to be met by the smell of cheap lavender shampoo that could probably be found in those dinky hotel inns's, and the feeling of cool pastel silk disturbing his senses as it tickled its way up his nose.

He stayed still for a few moments, recollecting himself away from his sleepiness and clearing out the nightmares that would have its rest and sure to be back by tomorrow. He slipped out of Sakura's grip on her hand and retreated his arm back to its place as the other balanced him from getting out of bed without disturbing the sleeping girl. He sat up on the bed, and the thoughts of the person staring at him moments ago became clear as night and day to him. And he had the sensation to pledge a victory to his success from beating that arrogant bastard, but the feeling of guilt came too soon after. He looked behind him to only see Sakura's back as it rose and fall and the peace she managed to keep.

He frowned and his thickness as to what this meant. His pride and ego was hurting Sakura and her fate. If she is to know the disappearance of her beloved comrade, what will she do when her fate is decided and he isn't there to see on to it? Sakura is already carrying a heavy burden and he didn't have to add the extra weight.

'Damn him' he sighed as he got up slowly to make himself sway around the bed and on the way to the door.

He'll be damned to be the one to truly break Sakura's heart if it isn't going the other way around.

-

"It's nothing."

Kakashi looked skeptical to Sasuke's reply.

"You sure about that? Cause you have been a little over protective for Sakura-chan's safety." Kakashi said slowly as he took another sip of his instant coffee.

Sasuke let the gasp out to fast, aware and afraid how manipulative Kakashi's conversations would lead to. But Kakashi was staring at him. "Sasuke,"

He leapt to his feet, staring warily back at the older man.

"Don't you dare judge me! I don't know what you _think_ you know, or whoever else _thinks_ they know, but I can guarantee you're wrong." Sasuke hissed out.

Kakashi continued to stare strait towards his student with hands held in prayer, not knowing how to handle this 'situation'.

"Don't see this as judgment Sasuke-san, see it more as an assertion."

"Assertion of what?!"

"That whatever is going on with you and Sakura-chan needs to stop."

"What?"

"Sasuke-san, do you even know the situation that is in hand here. Do you have any idea what risks we're facing here?" Kakashi said impatiently.

"No, why don't you enlighten me."

Kakashi took in a deep breath before giving Naruto a look of plead, "Naruto-san, give us a moment."

Without protest, Naruto bowed down as he got up from the couch and headed out the door, "I'm getting hungry." He murmured to himself in defeat that there was no arguing with Kakashi on this one.

Kakashi stared up from the closed door to his coffee mug, "Once upon a time there was a boy that broke his sister's head open with a koto."

Sasuke didn't speak a word, waving an arm to his side, closed his eyes and sighed. He then sat back into his chair adjacent to the broken window.

"He was a boy that wore black, while his sister wore white. They were of opposites as night and day and could never agree on anything."

"One day the boy decided to take a trip to the mountains to see the Sakura tree's bloom at its fullest but was afraid to go on this journey alone. So he asked his sister to come along for the trip. When she heard of this declaration she took precaution when meeting him by placing her koto by her side. He told her that he did no harm and only to bask in her warm company. His answer pleased her, but knew her brother well and decided to ask for more proof of his good intentions. He told her he shall play her koto while on the journey to the mountains for he was good at playing such an instrument. She then agreed, by giving her brother the koto to play, while she sang beautifully with its tune as they headed up the mountains.

They commented on each other's talents and the boy was all too pleased with himself to create a peace with his sister. When she then reminded him that the sole beauty of their masterpiece wouldn't have been so radiant without her voice, he became enraged. Why didn't she appreciate him?! Losing self-control, he cursed his sister to the ends of the earth. This was the kind of behavior she expected from her brother. It was in his nature to leap around causing chaos wherever he turned. However, she felt sympathy for his misdeeds and thought to loan him some of her kindness and apologies to give him her appreciation. Unfortunately, her pity only made things worse-."

Sasuke, silently star struck for at least as long as Kakashi had been looking at the empty contents of his mug, finally found his voice.

"Get to the point Kakashi-san, your little kiddy-story is starting to bore me…no offence."

Kakashi ignored his wit for once and proceeded with the story with a scornful sigh,

"It then became evident that perhaps some inner demon drove her brother's rage to do a deed, just to see how far he could push his sister's self-contained manner. She soon gave up reasoning with him and decided to leave him on the uphill to the mountain to find the Sakura tree's to himself. It was her back turning on him that created his heart to turn to turmoil. Stalked behind her, he lifted the koto above his head and strikes the instrument to her crown. As she fell to the floor her sight lost color and numb to the pain that stricken her head. "Things are not always as black and white as they seem." He had told her. He then dragged his sister by the hair and thrown her into a ditch where her world will be of only darkness and where no one could entice her again. In disgrace and despair the boy continued his journey to the top mountains to see spring at its fullest bloom. As his sister sat in the ditch, brooding over recent events, she began to feel that it was somehow her fault. Perhaps she had failed her brother in some important way. Perhaps she lacked the ability to love. She had truly lost her ability to see clearly, her light was dimmed. And so she sat in her own world and began to wither and die."

Silence struck the room for a moment and it took time for Sasuke to adjust to the significance of Kakashi's folktale.

"What's going to happen to Sakura-san when we get to Sengakure?"

It was then that Kakashi looked at Sasuke as a child asking the question and could only respond to him best way a grown up can explain to a juvenile.

"I really don't know. But the last thing Sakura-chan needs is to get hurt and the sympathy you're giving her is only going to worsen her abrasions."

"How the hell is my sympathy linked to your pathetic story?! What the hell?! How am I hurting her?! What did I do wrong?!" Sasuke yelled in outrage, then remembering Sakura slept in the other room. Careful with his words this second time he repeated again.

"What did I do wrong?" he said with a rasped voice, feeling the motions of saying it once more but to himself this time.

Kakashi sighed then and felt useless as a sensei to his students and as a lecture to talk. How can he explain to do the very opposite as to his teachings?

"When we arrive to Sengakure, things may turn for the worse, and Sakura-chan is going to have to face the facts and we can't do anything about it. It will all depend on her Lord and though it may not be the right thing, but he is one to judge at first meeting. Just as a reminder, and to be sure to lecture Naruto-san as well, we are only deliverers and if anything more than that may go on record and it may cause consequences and the consequence may put not only Lady Tusnade has the authority of giving us a suspension, but it will put Sakura-chan in immense jeopardy.

Sasuke-san, Sakura-chan just lives a separate life as we do. Her life is on one end and yours- _Ours_ is on the other. If you even try to get to her side, you're not only going to hurt her but your ambitions will never be able to be a priority to you anymore. And you claiming her and keeping her from the world is going to make you paranoid and miserable."

With that said, Sasuke then understood without reason. Jaw clenched as teeth crackled, he felt the beads of sweat coming down his face as if he put all his pressure on to his eyebrows to see how far he can connect them to creating a black 'V' on his forehead. Kakashi felt the rage that radiated off him that he could slice the tension with a knife on butter.

Sasuke grabbed the black trench coat the hung against the door frame and in one swift motion, had the attire wrapped around his back. He stood firmly with a hand clutching onto itself. He didn't make a sound. It didn't even look as though he was breathing. His back was to him and in his dark black trench coat he looked like a boy going off to his own funeral.

"Sasuke…" Kakashi managed to whisper.

"_What!_" Sasuke shouted back unexpectedly. He's been so soft-spoken for so long, so calm throughout this complete ordeal, that Kakashi jumped and shook in the wake of his outburst. Sasuke immediately caught himself and glared at his superior.

"She's eventually going to have to face it. You too. It's hard, I know. But she needs you too."

Sasuke was suddenly up in flames. His eyes looked like those of a stranger. Like no one was even in the room with him.

He looked like a boy going into battle against the Gods.

"You don't know what it's like! You don't know how it looks like, the smell, the taste of it. It's not just people that you befriended or people you grew up with. They're people of what makes you who you are! _You've never felt the torment of being reminded that the feeling of being alone is solely your fault, even if rationally it may not be. And the pain is so unbearable but you can't even put a freaking bullet through your head because any day now…any day now you think that there's a possibility…_" he gripped the doorframe and with that tearing a piece from it and watch as the plaster, paint chips and splinters trail to the floor. The sight of wine red appeared in a slash followed by a darker shade parting from it onto the base of his wrist.

Kakashi was in a trance of inspecting the blood trail, feeling so much smaller and at little use to his student right at the moment.

_I do know what it's like_, he wanted yell out, feeling the outrage by his student's egotism. But he was still a child and he himself knew better. If he had wished to have a son, like most his age often would wish for at the late age of twenty something, he would gladly and be proud to have a son that had much integrity as his student did and would have been thrilled to lecture his son about discipline and about life itself and know that he would be a proud father to have succeeded in creating such magnificent. _But now…_

"Alright then…so…that's that." Sasuke said with a great weight lifted from his shoulders.

And it was. No use arguing anymore. He was feeling the regret for it all before he even spoke.

His composer quickly went back to normal and tread heavily towards the hallway, turning his back on his sensei once and for all.

* * *

**I've actually had this chapter for awhile now and several others, but now its just briefing and errors I may had made. It may speed up considering all the free time I have and cause its pretty much out there and done. But yeah seriously…I'm back!**

**With much love. **


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